Cytopathology & Histopathology

Biography

Biography: Anita Bhandari

Abstract

coelomic fluid aspiration is a simple technique to achieve a diagnosis which helps in narrowing the diagnostic dilemma faced by physicians. This was a prospective study conducted between January 2012 to May 2013, in the department of pathology, CMSTH, Bharatpur, Nepal. Out of 70 cases, 34 cases are of peritoneal fluid, 31 cases are of pleural fluid and five cases are of pericardial fluid. 59 cases diagnosed as chronic effusion (84.28%). Six cases are diagnosed as inflammatory effusion (8.57%) and five cases are of malignant effusion (7.14%). Out of 70 cases, 50% were turbid, 47% were clear and 2.9% were hemorrhagic. 52.9% of effusions were exudative and 47.1% of effusion were transudative. Mean glucose level of transudative effusion was 80.15±21.19mg/dl which was higher compared to exudative effusion. Mean protein levels in transudative effusion was 2.08±0.43gm/dl. The total leukocyte count ranged from 57 to 1,50,000 cells/mm3. The estimated mean±SD of all coelomic fluid cell count was 3151.5±17974.06 with average cell count in malignant, chronic and inflammatory effusion of 620cells/mm3, 520cells/mm3 and 31,141cells/mm3 respectively. The estimated mean ± SD of all transudative fluid total leukocyte count was 188.57±53.65 and of exudative fluid cell count was 5793.29±24576.28. Overall sensitivity of cytology was 60%, specificity 96.92% and accuracy 94.28%, while positive predictive value was 60% and negative predictive value was 96.92%. Hence, cytological study of the fluid is a complete diagnostic modality which aims at pointing out the etiology of effusion as well as, in certain cases, a means of prognostication of disease process.