Intra-operative cytology and frozen sections of breast lesions: a comparison from a Saudi teaching hospital

ABSTRACT

Evaluate the usefulness of intraoperative cytology in providing rapid and accurate diagnosis for various breast lesions and to compare its diagnostic yield with that of frozen and paraffin sections. Setting: All surgically excised breast lesions submitted to the Histopathology and Cytology Department at King Khalid University Hospital [KKUH], Saudi Arabia during a period of 18 months [May 1993 till October 1994]. Subjects: Fifty Saudi female patients admitted to the surgical wards at KKUH because of breast-related clinical complaints and who have had subsequent surgical excision of their breast lesions. Design: Touch imprints and scalpel blade scrapes were made from the cut surfaces of 50 different breast lesions. The cytological preparations were stained using the "Diff-Quick" method. Frozen sections were also performed on all cases. There were 28 benign and 22 malignant lesions. There were three cases of significant discrepancies between the intra-operative cytology and frozen section diagnosis. Our findings indicate that intra-operative cytology alone gave the correct diagnoses in 94% of the cases examined. Intraoperative cytology is a reliable and cost-effective technique which can be used as an adjunct to frozen section of breast lesions. The histopathologist should, however, be aware of the patient's clinical details, mammographic findings and the macroscopic appearances of the lesions examined