Qing Kay Li
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, USA
Title: Value of Cytopathology in the diagnosis of respiratory diseases
Biography
Biography: Qing Kay Li
Abstract
Although the cytology (cytopathology) was first used as a diagnostic tool in the lung disease in early 1900s, it is not until the 1960s that pulmonary cytology becomes a diagnostic discipline. Since then, tremendous improvements have been made due to the innovation of sample collection and preparation techniques. The commonly used respiratory specimens in clinical diagnosis include: sputum, bronchial brushing and washing, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), transbronchial fine needle aspiration (TBNA), endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), and transthoracic CT- or ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA). The familiarity of cytomorphological features of respiratory cells, and current techniques of obtaining samples are crucial to make an accurate diagnosis. Similar to other type of non-gynecologic cytological specimens, the diagnoses of respiratory diseases are typically made based on the cytomorphological evaluation of respiratory cells. In addition, an explanation note of the diagnosis is often used in the report at our institution to report immunohistochemical and molecular results, and also provide suggestions to our clinical colleagues if necessary. In this presentation, we will discuss the cytomorphological findings of both benign and malignant respiratory diseases, and the differential diagnosis of lung cancers.