Value of cytodiagnosis in pleural effusion

ABSTRACT

The study was performed on 512 patients with pleural effusion who were treating at the Pulmonary Department of Bach Mai Hospital between 1991 and 1995. Specimens collected from pleural fluid were stained by Giemsa’s stain. The lesions were classified using cytological criteria as follows tuberculosis-related pleural effusions were divided into 2 groups typical (15.5%) and atypical (84.5%); lung cancer-related pleural effusion, including malignant mesothelioma (biphasic structure and monomorphic forms) - 11.5%, adenocarcinoma - 46.2%, squamous cell carcinoma - 33.1%, small and large cell carcinoma -2.7% and 2.7%, respectively, undetermined carcinoma - 33.1%; pleural related to non specific inflammation - 17%. The sensitivity and specificity of cytodiagnosis in tuberculosis-related pleural effusion is 80% and 76%, respectively, in lung cancer-related pleural effusion is 38.9% and 96.4%, respectively. Therefore the cytodiagnosis can be considered a high value diagnostic tool for pleural effusion, especially in those with tuberculosis and undetermined carcinoma