RESUMO
This study is based on a retrospective analysis of 210 fine-needle aspiration biopsies in which both cytology smears and paraffin cell blocks were available. The histology slides from these cell blocks were reviewed, and the cases were subdivided into three categories. In category A, which included 118 [56%] cases, a definitive histologic diagnosis of the presence as well as type of the cancer could be made. In category B, including 56 [27%] of cases, only the presence of cancer be ascertained, but the type not be defined. In category C, which consisted of 36 [17%] cases, the tissue was insufficient for reliable diagnosis. Carcinomas were most likely to have cell blocks in category A [65%] as compared to sarcomas [28%] or lymphomas [9%]. Complication of the cytological diagnosis based on aspiration smears with the cell block diagnosis revealed that in 6% of cases only cell block was positive, while in another 8% of cases the diagnosis from the cell block was more precise and specific. These results indicate that cell blocks can enhance the effectiveness offline-needle aspiration biopsy in establishing a pathologic diagnosis of cancer