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Cytopathologic touch preparations (imprints) from core needle biopsies: accuracy compared with that of fine-needle
P F Hahn1, P J Eisenberg, M B Pitman
1Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the touch preparation (imprint) cytology method for obtaining rapid interpretations from core material obtained during abdominal percutaneous biopsy.
Subjects And Methods:
For 28 patients undergoing biopsy of abdominal masses, paired slides were prepared for rapid staining by use of smears of standard fine-needle aspirates and by use of a touch preparation of the core material obtained with a semiautomated biopsy gun. The slides were scored in comparison with the final cytopathologic and histopathologic diagnosis.
Results:
Touch preparation slides were equivalent in diagnostic yield to fine-needle aspirate smears, demonstrating similar cellular features. Touch preparation slides revealed features of tumor architecture not present on smears.
Conclusion:
Touch preparation cytology offers rapid diagnosis from a single core biopsy sample. Carefully performed, the touch preparation method preserves the core material for subsequent permanent fixation and sectioning.