Characteristics of tumour vessels in cytological squash smears of astrocytic tumours

Abstract

Smear preparations are useful tools from which to diagnose brain tumours intraoperatively. Although vascular proliferation is histologically a key feature of high-grade astrocytoma, the characteristics of tumour vessels in smear preparations have not been determined. We examined the density and morphological parameters (area, width, nuclear layer and branches of vessel wall) of tumour vessels in squash smears of 43 primary astrocytomas (grade II diffuse astrocytomas, n=9; grade III anaplastic astrocytomas, n=13; grade IV glioblastomas, n=21) and normal brain tissues (n=11). Vessel density and all morphological parameters were significantly higher in grade IV than in the other grades of tumours and in normal brain tissue. Vessel area, width and nuclear layer were greater in grade III than in normal brain tissue. The sensitivity and specificity of these vessel parameters for astrocytomas were 75-100% and 82-100%, respectively. Tumour vessel evaluations from squash smears provide useful information for the intraoperative diagnosis and grading of astrocytic tumours.