Papanicolaou smears from fifty cases of squamous cell carcinoma cervix were evaluated for cytological changes 4 and 8 weeks after radiotherapy. Radiation induced changes observed in epithelial cells were correlated with clinical and histological parameters such as stage of disease, tumor grade and time lapse after therapy. Inferences drawn from the study were employed to predict the likely impact of treatment on the individual patient which would serve as a prognostic marker in different clinical and histological settings.

Thirty five cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) were studied by fine needle aspiration cytology. Pleomorphic, round cell, spindle cell and paucicellular type were detected on cytology. It is worthwhile repeating the aspiration twice or thrice if the initial aspiration is inadequate because this often yields adequate diagnostic material and is of value in inoperable tumours which may be treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone after a cytologic diagnosis. Histologic correlation was obtained in 29 patients. ATC has to be distinguished from medullary carcinoma, lymphoma, haemangioendothelioma and primary sarcomas of the thyroid. All patients were treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy but showed a rapid downhill course and died within a period of two years. Preoperative diagnosis is important because these tumours need aggressive therapy. ATC remains an aggressive tumour that responds poorly to therapy.

Diagnostic cytopathology is becoming a more acceptable technique in the evaluation of the masses of the eye worldwide because it is rapid, accurate, cost effective and avoids the need of extensive surgery for diagnostic purpose. A total of seventy cytological specimens from the eye were reviewed and evaluated to assess its usefulness in our setting. The specimen consisted of fine needle aspirate, corneal scraping, conjunctival smear and vitreous washing. Twenty-six cases (37.14%) were found to be malignant in nature. Although the lesions covered age range of 0 to more than 70 years but the malignant lesions showed a bimodal age peak pattern. Histopathological examination was possible in twenty (76.92%) cases, with a positive correlation in 18 (96%) cases. The three most common lesions encountered were retinoblastoma (round cell tumour), lymphoma and carcinoma (primary, metastatic, undifferentiated, conjunctival and sebaceous). In conclusion it can be said that cytopathological evaluation is a valuable adjunct in the work up of lesions of the eye, providing very reliable diagnostic accuracy.

This study was conducted to determine the usefulness of cytology in diagnosis of vesicobullous skin lesions. Forty clinically diagnosed cases were studied by Tzanck smears, imprint smears and fine needle aspiration. Herpes simplex was the commonest (30%) lesion encountered followed by Herpes / Varicella zoster (25%), pemphigus vulgaris (25%) and molluscum contagiosum (20%). Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by cytology in 92.5% cases. Histopathology was available in only 14 of the 40 cases, all of which showed a positive cyto-histological correlation. The material was cytologically inadequate in 3 cases (7.5%). The observed cytomorphologic features of various vesicobullous lesions were highly distinctive, thus making cytology a fairly sensitive "patient compliant" technique for the rapid diagnosis of vesicobullous lesions.

The study was undertaken to study the precursor lesions of invasive gall bladder carcinoma by FNAC and impression cytology and correlate it with histology. A total of 140 patients with sign and symptoms of gall bladder disease were divided into 2 groups. Group-A included 30 patients with USG confirmed cancer in whom only FNAC was performed. Group-B included the remaining 110 patients. After cholecystectomy, bile was immediately drained off and 2-3 imprint smears prepared and stained with H&E and Papanicolaou stain. The specimen was then processed histopathologically and sections stained with H&E. The commonest lesion observed was chronic cholecystitis with cholelithiasis (74.5%). Well differentiated adenocarcinoma (84.8%) was the most frequent type of gall bladder carcinoma. Fundus was the commonest site for all precursor lesions. Most cases of simple hyperplasia was seen in the 3rd and 4th decades of life (67.9%). 70% of cases of atypical hyperplasia and carcinoma in situ were observed in the 4th and 5th decades. A good cytohistologic correlation was obtained in cases of carcinoma in situ (66.7%) and invasive carcinoma (100%). Precancerous lesions of gall bladder carcinoma can be identified better by cytologic means than through random histologic sections.

The aim of this study was to assess the apoptotic index (AI) in benign and malignant tumours of the breast and observe its association with different grades of carcinoma breast and other clinicopathologic parameters, in order to identify the role of apoptosis as a cell proliferation marker and potential prognostic factor. AI was assessed on aspiration cytology smears from 112 cases of breast tumours out of which histological sections were obtained from 60 cases for comparative analysis. Association was determined with nature of lesion, tumour size, axillary lymph node status and histologic grade. AI was found to be significantly higher in malignant lesions (0.73% ± 0.5) as compared to benign breast tumours (0.16% ± 0.12). There was no direct association of AI with histological grade, tumour size or lymph node status. Comparable values of mean AI in benign and malignant tumours were obtained by both cytologic and histologic analysis.

Rosai Dorfman disease, originally described as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is a rare disorder in India. This disease is unique for its bilateral massive lymph node enlargement in the neck, associated with high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, leukocytosis and fever. Although cervical region is by far the most common and prominent site, it can affect other peripheral and central lymph node groups, skin and gastro-intestinal tract. We report this rare disease diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology and subsequently confirmed by histopathological examination.

A 60year old female presented with an acute abdomen in septic shock. With hyperamylasemia, and a CT scan suggestive of pancreatic abscess as a result of acute pancreatitis, a CT -guided aspiration was done which confirmed the diagnosis of a pancreatic abscess. The pus, which was sent for staining and culture, revealed the causative organism to be Aspergillus fumigatus

An 18-year-old girl presented to the hospital with pelvic pain for last 5-6 months and a large rapidly growing lower abdominal swelling of the same duration. Ultrasonography revealed an ovarian mass which was subjected to fine needle aspiration cytology. Aspiration cytology showed good cellularity with variable sized tumour cells. Cytoplasm of these tumour cells was granular, while some had punched out vacuoles. Background was tigroid and showed lymphocytes and plasma cells. Diagnosis of dysgerminoma ovary was made on these cytological findings, which were later on confirmed by histopathology.