Abstract
Objective: The aim of this work is to compare between intraoperative frozen section and scrape smear cytology in the diagnosis of ovarian neoplasm. Method: This study was performed between March 2011 and March 2012, on 50 patients presented with ovarian mass. Gross examination of the tumor removed was done by inspection and palpation. The specimen was then cut with a sharp knife into two halves. The area was scraped with a sharp scalpel or the end of a glass slide, depending upon the type of tissue. A semifluid drop thus obtained was spread over a glass slide. One to four slides per case were taken from different representative areas. The slides were labelled and immediately put into 95% ethyl alcohol and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The specimens were then fixed in formalin. Paraffin blocks of the sections were processed in the routine way and sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E). Assessment of the overall accuracy of the intraoperative diagnosis was classified as concordant or discordant. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of scraping technique in the diagnosis of benign ovarian masses were 100%, 95.2%, 96.7%, 100% and 98% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of scraping technique in the diagnosis of border line ovarian masses were 100%, 93.4%, 25%, 100% and 94% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of scraping technique in the diagnosis of malignant ovarian masses were 80%, 100%, 100%, 88.2% and 92% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of benign ovarian masses were 100%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 100% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of borderline ovarian masses were 100%, 95.9%, 33.3%, 100% and 96% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of frozen section in the diagnosis of malignant ovarian masses were 90%, 100%, 100%, 93.8% and 96% respectively. Conclusion: Frozen section is more accurate than smear preparations in the intraoperative assessment of ovarian tumors in this study. However, the cytology preparations were helpful in supporting the histological diagnoses, and in some cases, provided additional useful information. Thus, cytology has a complementary role to frozen section in the intraoperative assessment of ovarian lesions. At the centers where the facilities of frozen section are not available, intraoperative scrape cytology is a useful tool for intraoperative diagnosis of tumor.
Highlights
Ovarian neoplasms are a heterogeneous group of benign and malignant tumors of epithelial, stromal and germcell origin
The cytology preparations were helpful in supporting the histological diagnoses, and in some cases, provided additional useful information
Cytology has a complementary role to frozen section in the intraoperative assessment of ovarian lesions
Summary
Ovarian neoplasms are a heterogeneous group of benign and malignant tumors of epithelial, stromal and germcell origin. Rapid diagnosis of surgically removed specimens has created many controversies and a single completely reliable method has not yet been developed. Frozen section is routinely used by the surgical pathology laboratories for intra-operative diagnosis [2]. Intra-operative diagnosis of ovarian lesions can be achieved by a number of cytological techniques, including imprint and scrape cytology, and intra-operative fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). These methods are less accurate as compared to frozen section [3]. Few studies have demonstrated that in experienced hands the diagnostic efficacy of intra-operative cytology is comparable to that of frozen section with 92% diagnostic accuracy in characterizing cytological pattern and morphology of ovarian tumors [4]
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