Diagnostic utility of imprint cytology for assessment of breast lumps

Abstract

Background: Breast lesions are a commonly encountered complaint in the surgical outpatient department. Although majority of these lesions are benign, breast carcinoma is the second most common malignancy in women. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a well-established preoperative diagnostic measure, whereas histopathological examination (HPE) forms the gold standard for the postoperative diagnosis. Imprint cytology (IC) is a rapid, inexpensive intraoperative diagnostic method under investigation. This study attempted to compare IC with FNAC and HPE for the diagnosis of breast lesions. Materials and Methods: This study included 65 patients with breast lesions. In each case, a diagnosis was established by preoperative FNAC, an intraoperative IC, and their sensitivity and specificity were compared to the diagnosis by HPE which was considered the gold standard for the diagnosis. Results: Sensitivity of IC for diagnosing malignant lesions was 91.6% and specificity was 100%. Similarly, for FNAC, the sensitivity for diagnosing malignant lesions was 91.6% and specificity was 100%. Conclusion: Intraoperative IC is a good diagnostic modality comparable to FNAC in the diagnosis of breast lesions and a reliable adjunct to HPE.