Aims: Tzanck smear is an old but useful test for diagnosis of cutaneous dermatoses. The aim of this study was to highlight the potential usefulness and diagnostic pitfalls of Tzanck smear for diagnosis of cutaneous dermatoses and infections. Materials and Methods: This hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out on all Tzanck smears received for a period of twenty months (January 2014–August 2015). The smears were assessed to establish the utility of Tzanck smears in corroborating or excluding a diagnosis of immunobullous lesion or herpetic infection. Cases with discrepant diagnosis on histopathology were reviewed to identify additional cytomorphological features. Results: A total of 57 Tzanck smears were performed during the study period. Out of the 18 clinically suspected cases of immunobullous disorders, Tzanck smear findings corroborated the clinical diagnosis in 7/18 cases, one case was diagnosed as cutaneous candidiasis, and diagnosis of immunobullous lesions could be excluded in 5/18 cases. Out of the 19 suspected cases of herpetic infections, viral cytopathic effect was observed in 8/19 cases. Besides immunobullous lesions and herpetic infections, acantholytic cells were also observed in spongiotic dermatitis and genodermatosis. Dyskeratotic keratinocytes seen in vacuolar interface dermatitis were not easily distinguishable from acantholytic cells on Tzanck smear. Conclusions: Tzanck smear test is an inexpensive and useful diagnostic tool for certain skin diseases. It can aid in establishing a rapid clinical diagnosis and can serve as a useful adjunct to routine histological examination. We recommend the use of Tzanck smear as a first-line investigation for vesiculobullous, erosive, and pustular lesions.

Introduction: Cytologic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have been extensively documented in literature. However, PTC variants can prove to be diagnostically challenging on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Aims: To study the FNAC features of PTC and its variants and explore the causes for misdiagnosis. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study. All cases of histopathologically (HP) confirmed cases of PTC during a 2-year period (January 2012 to December 2013) with presurgical FNAC were included. The cytologic findings and FNAC diagnosis of each case were documented and compared with the HP report. The misdiagnosed cases were reviewed to look for any cytological clues and reasons for misdiagnosis. Results: A total of 58 cases were included. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 55.6% which improved to 64.8% on including suspicious for PTC cases. Follicular variant was the most misdiagnosed variant; 41.2% of the cases were called follicular neoplasm. Oncocytic variant showed cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm along with bizarre giant cells. Warthin tumor-like variant showed cells with moderate eosinophilic cytoplasm with close apposition of lymphocytes in a background of reactive lymphocytes and lymphoid tangles. Cystic variant was paucicellular. Columnar cell variant showed tall columnar cells with nuclear stratification. Cribriform–morular variant showed syncytial sheets of cells and hyaline globules. Conclusions: PTC variants have distinct cytomorphological features. In some variants (follicular, columnar cell), nuclear grooves and inclusions may not be apparent, contributing to the diagnostic confusion. Benign nodule adjacent to the tumor can dominate the FNAC smear and lead to misdiagnosis.

Introduction: Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease and a major health problem in developing countries, with lymphadenopathy being the most common presentation. Tuberculous lymphadenitis can be diagnosed on fine needle aspiration cytology of lymph node. Conventional Ziehl–Neelsen method for acid fast bacilli plays a key role in the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment for tuberculosis, however, with low sensitivity. Present study emphasizes the role of bleach concentration method in fine needle aspiration cytology of lymph nodes over conventional direct smear microscopy. Materials and Methods: The study included 75 patients with clinically suspected tuberculous lymphadenopathy who were referred to the Department of Pathology in a tertiary care hospital, Faridabad. Data regarding age, sex, duration and site of swelling, nature of aspirate, and cytomorphological diagnosis were documented for each patient. Results: Of the total 75 cases, 15 were positive both in conventional Ziehl–Neelsen method and bleach concentration method. By bleach concentration method, additional 34 cases showed positivity that were not revealed by conventional Ziehl–Neelsen method. Thus, a total 49 cases were positive for acid fast bacilli. Conclusion: There are problems in arriving at an absolute diagnosis in certain cases of tuberculous lymphadenitis when the aspirate shows polymorphous picture with occasional epithelioid cells and absence of typical Langhans giant cell or caseous necrosis. In the present study, acid fast bacilli positivity was established in 65.33% of the cases with the bleach method. Bleach method for detection of tubercle bacilli has a high case detection rate than that of the conventional Ziehl–Neelsen method.

Background: Identifying malignant cells in effusion fluid is vital in staging and management of cancers. Differentiating reactive mesothelial cells from malignant cells in effusion fluid is a challenging task and there is an ongoing need for simpler and cost effective tool to aid the diagnosis. Micronucleus is an additional smaller nucleus in the cytoplasm, formed by chromosomes or chromosomal fragments formed during cell division. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the significance of micronucleated cell in effusion fluids to distinguish adenocarcinomatous from reactive mesothelial effusions. Materials and Methods: Thirty cases of unequivocal malignant effusion fluids and 30 benign cases with reactive mesothelial cells as control were studied. Number of microucleated cells present per1000 well-preserved cells in Leishman-stained smears were counted. Results: Mean (±SD) micronucleated score in malignant and benign effusions were 15.77 ± 9.78 and 1.87 ± 1.78, respectively. The median scores were 13 and 2, respectively. Mann–Whitney test showed that this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). This study revealed that there was a significant difference in micronucleus scoring between benign and malignant effusions. Conclusions: Micronucleus score can be used as an additional biomarker in the interpretation of routinely stained cytosmears.

Introduction: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid gland is an effective diagnostic method. The Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology classifies them into six categories and gives implied risk for malignancy and management protocol in each category. Though the system gives specific criteria, diagnostic dilemma still exists. Using nuclear morphometry, we can quantify the number of parameters, such as those related to nuclear size and shape. The evaluation of nuclear morphometry is not well established in thyroid cytology. Objective: To classify thyroid lesions on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) using Bethesda system and to evaluate the significance of nuclear parameters in improving the prediction of thyroid malignancy. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 120 FNAC cases of thyroid lesions with histological diagnosis were included. Computerized nuclear morphometry was done on 81 cases which had confirmed cytohistological correlation, using Aperio computer software. One hundred nuclei from each case were outlined and eight nuclear parameters were analyzed. Results: In the present study, thyroid lesions were common in female with M: F ratio of 1:5 and most commonly in 40–60 yrs. Under Bethesda system, 73 (60.83%) were category II; 14 (11.6%) were category III, 3 (2.5%) were category IV, 8 (6.6%) were category V, and 22 (18.3%) were category VI, which were malignant on histopathological correlation. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of Bethesda reporting system are 62.5, 84.38, and 74.16%, respectively. Minimal nuclear diameter, maximal nuclear diameter, nuclear perimeter, and nuclear area were higher in malignant group compared to nonneoplastic and benign group. Conclusion: The Bethesda system is a useful standardized system of reporting thyroid cytopathology. It gives implied risk of malignancy. Nuclear morphometry by computerized image analysis can be utilized as an additional diagnostic tool.

Context: Atypical glandular cells (AGCs) result in the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear may be associated with significant genital and nongenital neoplastic processes. Aims: To evaluate the underlying histopathology in women who had AGCs on Pap smears. Settings and Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients and Methods: Clinicopathological data of patients who had AGC on Pap smears and underwent histological workup between January 2004 and December 2014 were retrieved from the computerized database of a tertiary care center. Patients with a prior history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or gynecological cancer were excluded. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square test or Fisher's exact tests were used as appropriate. Results: Cytological examination of the uterine cervix was carried out in 117,560 patients. We identified 107 patients (0.09%) with AGC and 80 of those with histological follow-up were included in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 47 years (range, 18–79), and 32 women (40%) were postmenopausal, while 56 (70%) had gynecological symptoms. Significant preinvasive or invasive lesions on pathological examination were detected in 27 (33.8%) patients, including 12 endometrial adenocarcinomas (15%), 8 cervical carcinomas (10%), 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II/III (3.75%), 2 ovarian adenocarcinomas (2.5%), and 2 metastatic tumors (2.5%). Univariate analysis showed that postmenopausal status (P < 0.001), age >50 years old (P < 0.001), having symptoms at the time of admission (P = 0.041), and AGC “favor neoplasia” smear results (P = 0.041) were the clinical factors associated with significant pathological outcome. Conclusions: Patients with AGC on Pap smears should be evaluated vigilantly with histological workup, especially if they are postmenopausal or symptomatic.

Aim: To characterize the age and pattern of Pap smear abnormalities in a major teaching hospital in Southwestern Nigeria. Design: This is a review of medical records of patients that came for cervical cancer screening. Materials and Methods: The Pap smear results of women between May 2013 and April 2015 were retrieved. A total of 2048 Pap smear results were retrieved during the study period and analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. A total of 252 (12.3%) samples were excluded from the analysis. Results: The mean age of the women was 45.77 ± 9.9 years and the mode was 50 years. Normal Pap smear result was reported in 728 (40.6%) women. Only 20 women has had more than one more than one Pap smear done. The most common abnormality was inflammatory smear result as this was reported in 613 (29.9%) women. Atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) were reported in 117 (5.7%), 209 (10.2%), and 111 (5.4%) women, respectively. Atypical glandular cell and squamous cell carcinoma were reported in 12 (6.0%) and 3 (1.0%), respectively. Conclusion: There is a high incidence of abnormal Pap smear in this environment and women start cervical cancer screening late in their reproductive life, past the age at which cervical premalignant lesions peak. This may be a contributing factor to the high burden of cervical cancer in developing countries.

Background: Elderly men are at high risk of various prostatic diseases carrying high morbidity and mortality rates. For screening large populations, there is a need for a simple, reliable, and noninvasive test with high sensitivity and specificity. Exfoliated prostatic cancer cells can be harvested by prostatic massage and subjected to cytologic examination and molecular tests. Aims: This study was undertaken to evaluate the morphology of various prostatic lesions on post prostatic massage urine cytology and correlate cytologic, histologic, and clinical findings. It was further proposed to establish the diagnostic accuracy of post prostatic massage urine cytology in different prostatic lesions. Materials and Methods: Totally, 100 cases including 50 cases each from study group and control group were subjected to post prostatic massage urine cytology and correlated with clinical and histological findings. Results: Five out of 50 cases were diagnosed as prostatic carcinoma, of which 60% were clinically detected. Diagnostic accuracy by histology and cytology independently was 80%, and 20% remained false negative by each technique. On combining both the techniques, diagnostic accuracy was 100%. For nine cases each of prostatitis and nodular hyperplasia diagnosed clinically, the diagnostic accuracy by cytology was 100 and 66.6%, respectively. 62% (31) cases were diagnosed as nodular hyperplasia including 22 (44%) cases of nodular hyperplasia with prostatitis. Conclusion: Collection of urinary specimens after prostatic massage provides adequate samples for cytological examination and carries great importance in establishing the preoperative morphologic diagnosis in cases of malignancy, prostatitis, and prostatic calculi.

Background: Tumors of the central nervous system in the pediatric age group occur relatively frequently during the early years of life. Brain tumors are the most common solid malignancies of childhood and only second to acute childhood leukemia. Squash cytology is an indispensable diagnostic aid to central nervous system (CNS) lesions. The definitive diagnosis of brain lesions is confirmed by histological examination. Aim: To study the cytology of CNS lesions in pediatric population and correlate it with histopathology. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty cases of CNS lesions in pediatric patients were studied over a period of 2 years. Intraoperative squash smears were prepared, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and examined. Remaining sample was subjected to histopathological examination. Results: Medulloblastoma (24.0%) was the most frequently encountered tumor followed by pilocyctic astrocytoma (21.33%) and ependymoma (13.33%). Diagnostic accuracy of squash smear technique was 94.67% when compared with histological diagnosis. Conclusion: Smear cytology is a fairly accurate tool for intraoperative CNS consultations.

A middle-aged female presented with a painless, slowly growing mass in the left parotid region; fine needle aspiration cytology from the mass showed uniform spindle cells in a fibrillary background with some cells showing palisading. A cytodiagnosis of schwannoma was given, which was further confirmed on biopsy.

Malignant mesothelioma of pleura is a locally aggressive rare neoplasm of mesothelial cells, which produces distant metastasis in advanced stages of its course. It is exceptional for patients to present with metastasis prior to the detection of primary tumor in the pleura. Here, we report a case of malignant mesothelioma of pleura in a 65-year-old quarry worker where the initial diagnosis was offered by fine needle aspiration of an enlarged supraclavicular lymph node. Subsequent pleural fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), tumor biopsy, and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis.

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare autosomal recessive lipid storage disease characterized by widespread tissue deposition of two neutral sterols, cholestenol and cholesterol, resulting in tendinous xanthomas, juvenile cataracts, progressive neurological defects, and premature death from arteriosclerosis. Because it is a treatable cause of cerebellar ataxia and dementia, its early diagnosis is desirable. Here, we have reported the case of an 11-year-old boy with this disorder who was diagnosed based on the cytological findings of fine needle aspiration and clinical features.

Superficial angiomyxoma (SA) is one of the superficially located myxoid soft tissue tumor. Because of the rarity of this tumor, there is paucity of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) findings. Here, we present a case of SA in a 14-year-old girl who presented with a left leg swelling. The cytology of the lesion along with the histopathologic correlation is presented.