Smear Diagnosis Research Articles

No longer stuck in the past: new advances in artificial intelligence and molecular assays for parasitology screening and diagnosis.

Emerging technologies are revolutionizing parasitology diagnostics and challenging traditional methods reliant on microscopic analysis or serological confirmation, which are known for their limitations in sensitivity and specificity. This article sheds light on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and molecular assays in the field, promising more accurate and efficient detection methods. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a promising tool for blood and stool parasite review, when paired with comprehensive databases and expert oversight result in heightened specificity and sensitivity of diagnoses while also increasing efficiency. Significant strides have been made in nucleic acid testing for multiplex panels for enteric pathogen. Both multiplex and single target panels for Plasmodium , Babesia , filaria, and kinetoplastids have been developed and garnered regulatory approval, notably for blood donor screening in the United States. Additional technologies such as MALDI-TOF, metagenomics, flow cytometry, and CRISPR-Cas are under investigation for their diagnostic utility and are currently in the preliminary stages of research and feasibility assessment. Recent implementation of artificial intelligence and digital microscopy has enabled swift smear screening and diagnosis, although widespread implementation remains limited. Simultaneously, molecular assays - both targeted and multiplex panels are promising and have demonstrated promise in numerous studies with some assays securing regulatory approval recently. Additional technologies are under investigation for their diagnostic utility and are compelling avenues for future proof-of-concept diagnostics.

Assessment of psychological distress in patients with cervical dysplasia according to age, education, information acquisition and information level.

This study aims to investigate the psychological distress experienced by patients with an initial diagnosis of abnormal Pap smears or dysplastic changes of the cervix uteri. It investigated whether patients' age, education, information level and approach to information acquisition have an impact on their psychological distress. A total of 364 female patients, aged 20-80years, referred to the special dysplasia consultation hour at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wuerzburg, completed a questionnaire containing validated items to assess information level, information acquisition, information needs and psychological distress, including a distress thermometer. Data from questionnaires and medical reports were used for analysis. The study found that 56.9% of patients experienced psychological distress before their first visit. Patients under 44years of age, especially those with concerns about fertility and sexuality, and those with lower levels of education showed higher levels of distress (p-value = 0.018 and p-value = 0.037). 40.9% of patients felt poorly informed and 53.7% of patients wanted more information before their visit. Correlational analysis showed that the method of obtaining information correlated with the desire for more information (p-value < 0.001). Those who received information via the Internet felt less informed, wanted more information and experienced more anxiety. These findings highlight the need for improved patient education strategies and effective doctor-patient communication to address the knowledge gap and reduce patient distress. In addition, healthcare providers should ensure that patients have access to reliable online resources for accurate information.

Effective Reproduction Number of Smear-Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Iran: A Registry-Based Study (2011-2021).

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health issue in Iran, especially smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (SPPTB), due to its high transmission rate. Examining the effective reproduction number(Rt ) of SPPTB and patient characteristics is crucial for crafting targeted TB control measures. This study aimed to assess the Rt of SPPTB in Iran from 2011 to 2021 and profile SPPTB patient demographics, initial smear bacilli density, diagnosis delays, and spatial distribution. Study Design: This is a historical cohort study. A time-dependent method was used to estimate Rt , and monthly data from the national TB registry were scrutinized from 2011 to 2021. A decline was observed in SPPTB incidence rates of 50909 SPPTB cases in Iran from 2011 to 2021. Approximately 29.1% of the cases were diagnosed within a month, while 44.5% experienced a one to three-month delay in diagnosis. The analysis revealed substantial heterogeneity in TB transmission dynamics across various provinces of Iran. Provinces such as Sistan and Baluchestan, Golestan, Guilan, Khuzestan, Tehran, and Khorasan Razavi exhibited the highest effective reproduction numbers. Additionally, there was a decreasing trend in the effective reproduction numbers across all provinces from 2011 to 2020. Effective reproduction numbers declined in most provinces from 2011 to 2020 but increased moderately after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for targeted public health interventions. Although SPPTB incidence rates are declining nationally, elevated incidence rates and effective reproduction numbers in regions such as Sistan and Baluchestan, Golestan, Guilan, Khuzestan, Tehran, and Khorasan Razavi signify the need for persistent TB management efforts in Iran.

Peripheral blood smear diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in a patient of myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm treated with hypomethylating agent: A case report

Peripheral blood smear diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in a patient of myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm treated with hypomethylating agent: A case report

Comparative study of intraoperative cytology, Frozen section and histopathology of ovarian neoplasms

Objective: To evaluate the role of intraoperative cytology in the diagnosis of ovarian tumours. Methods: A cross sectional study of 75 cases received from January 2016 to October 2021 was conducted in the Department of Pathology for ovarian neoplasms received for imprint cytology, frozen section and histopathology. On receiving the unfixed specimen per operatively, gross examination was performed and Imprint cytology/Scrape smears were obtained followed by staining of slides with field and rapid hematoxylin eosin stain. A few representative tissue sections were taken and processed for frozen section. After frozen section and imprint cytology reporting, specimens were fixed in formalin and processed for paraffin blocks for histopathological examination. Results of imprint cytology, frozen and paraffin sections were recorded and categorized as benign, borderline malignant. Accuracy of frozen section and imprint cytology was determined by comparing them with histopathology. Results: Of 75 lesions studied by intraoperative cytology,57 lesions were classified as benign and 18 as malignant. Comparing the diagnosis of cytology smears and frozen section with histopathology,72 of 75 cases were concordant. When imprint cytology and frozen section was compared with histology, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 98.2%,89.4%,96.4% and 94.4% respectively. Conclusion: Imprint cytology is a boon for resource deprived settings and frozen section complements it in tertiary care centres for intraoperative diagnosis and determining the extent of surgical intervention required.

Cytologic Surveillance Versus Immediate Referral to Colposcopy for Women with a Cervical Cytology Diagnosis of ASC-US and LSIL in the Absence of HPV DNA Test

Background and Objectives: Cytology screening programmes decrease the risk of cervical cancer by detecting the precancerous changes. Treating these reduce the likelihood of developing invasive disease in future. The management strategies for severe precancerous changes are well established, however, this is not the case with minor cytological abnormalities like ASCUS or LSIL especially when a triage strategy like HPV testing is not easily available. This study aims to assess whether immediate referral to colposcopy is better than cytologic surveillance for women with a cervical smear diagnosis of ASC-US and LSIL in a context where HPV test is either unavailable or not affordable. Methods: A prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital between January 2021 and November 2022. Total 126 women with a Pap smear report of ASC-US or LSIL were recruited to receive either cytologic surveillance (Group A) or immediate colposcopy (Group B), with 63 women in each group. Adherence to follow up and eventual histologic diagnosis of HSIL on colposcopically directed biopsy (CDB) and/or Loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP) were considered as the main study end-point. Results: Significantly more women defaulted from the cytologic surveillance group than the immediate colposcopy group (p=0.00001). In group B, using CDB and LEEP, 5 additional high-grade lesions were detected. However, the p value was not significant when compared with the cytologic surveillance group (p=0.360). Interpretation and Conclusions: Cytologic surveillance is fraught with a poor compliance rate. In the absence of HPV DNA test, minor cytologic abnormalities should undergo immediate colposcopy if follow up cannot be ensured. The high persistence rates of ASC-US and LSIL (41.18% and 35.71%), as well as the high progression rate of LSIL in the cytologic surveillance group, also underscore the necessity for these women to undergo immediate referral to colposcopy.

Conventional blood smear diagnosis and clinico-pathological findings of canine monocytic Ehrlichia canis in a rottweiler dog

Conventional blood smear diagnosis and clinico-pathological findings of canine monocytic Ehrlichia canis in a rottweiler dog

Beyond the Microscope: A Technological Overture for Cervical Cancer Detection.

Cervical cancer is a common and preventable disease that poses a significant threat to women's health and well-being. It is the fourth most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, with approximately 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020, according to the World Health Organization. Early detection and diagnosis of cervical cancer are crucial for reducing mortality and morbidity rates. The Papanicolaou smear test is a widely used screening method that involves the examination of cervical cells under a microscope to identify any abnormalities. However, this method is time-consuming, labor-intensive, subjective, and prone to human errors. Artificial intelligence techniques have emerged as a promising alternative to improve the accuracy and efficiency of Papanicolaou smear diagnosis. Artificial intelligence techniques can automatically analyze Papanicolaou smear images and classify them into normal or abnormal categories, as well as detect the severity and type of lesions. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent advances in artificial intelligence diagnostics of the Papanicolaou smear, focusing on the methods, datasets, performance metrics, and challenges. The paper also discusses the potential applications and future directions of artificial intelligence diagnostics of the Papanicolaou smear.

Knowledge and Attitude Among Medical and Non-Medical Students Regarding Tuberculosis: A Questionnaire Based Study

Background: Tuberculosis is a major global health concern, ranking as the second most deadly infectious disease. Over 8 million people worldwide develop active TB, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries. The World Health Organization has highlighted the importance of education in ensuring that medical students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for effective TB management. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude among medical and non-medical students regarding the tuberculosis. Method: A cross sectional survey was performed among medical and non-medical students. Knowledge and attitude of the participants regarding the tuberculosis were assessed using a validated questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using statistical methods to draw the achieve the study objectives. Results: The data was collected from 300 students, of whom 53% are medical students and 46.7% are non-medical students. Most students in both groups answered correctly that TB is caused by M. tuberculosis, that a persistent cough with sputum is a symptom, that HIV positive people are more at risk, that TB is spread by air, that BCG vaccine can prevent it, and that chest X-ray can diagnose it. However, some students in both groups did not know that not every TB patient needs to be hospitalized and that the standard treatment for new cases of pulmonary TB is a six-month course of four drugs. This shows that some students need more education on these aspects of TB management. Conclusion: The study concluded that more efforts should be made to improve the knowledge of medical students regarding TB transmission and the role of sputum smear in diagnosis, as well as emphasis on the importance of the BCG vaccination.

Detection rates and factors affecting thereof in endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma, and cervical glandular lesions on cervical smear.

Endometrial lesions are morphologically diverse and uncommon on cervical smears, with its detection rate and associated diagnostic categories uncharacterized. In this study, cervical smears matched to histologically proven endometrial hyperplasias and carcinomas were reviewed and compared with cervical in-situ-carcinomas/carcinomas, aiming to detail the diagnostic performance of cervical smears for upper tract and glandular lesions. Pathology reports of cervical smears, hysterectomies, endometrial and cervical biopsies from 1995 to 2021 were retrieved. Diagnoses of cervical smears were matched to endometrial hyperplasias and carcinomas, or cervical carcinomas and reviewed. Totally 832 cervical smears (272 cervical carcinomas, 312 endometrial carcinomas, and 248 hyperplasias) were included. Considering all cytologic glandular diagnosis as positive, the detection rate of cervical adenocarcinoma-in-situ was the highest (64.3%), followed by cervical adenocarcinoma (63.8%), endometrial carcinoma (31.7%), and hyperplasia (with atypia-8.5%; without atypia-2.3%) (p < 0.001). Endometrial hyperplasia was most often diagnosed as atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) (5.0%) or atypical glandular cells, not otherwise specified (3.6%) without indication of endometrial origin. For endometrial carcinomas, higher FIGO grading and endocervical involvement were associated with higher detection rates across all diagnostic categories (p = 0.002-0.028). High FIGO grade was associated with suspicious/favor neoplastic (C4) (31.1%vs10.3%, p < 0.001) and carcinoma (C5) (17.8% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.005) categories, but not for all glandular diagnoses combined (33.3% vs. 31.0%, p = 0.761). Detection rates for endometrial lesions are lower than cervical lesions but not insignificant. Endometrial hyperplasia should be recognized as a differential of human papilloma virus-negative ASCUS and prompt consideration of investigation of the upper genital tract.

Toluidine Blue Stain as a Rapid Onsite Tool for Preliminary Diagnosis in Imprint Smears of Bronchoscopic Biopsy: A Cytohistopathological Correlation.

Introduction Lung cancer is currently the most common cause of cancer-related mortality, with 11.4% of cancers and 18% of cancer-related deaths worldwide whereas Indian figures are 6.9 and 9.3%, respectively. Hence, the need for early diagnosis. Bronchial biopsy has the highest sensitivity among all the samples that can be obtained by bronchoscopic techniques in case of endobronchial lesions. Imprint cytology has emerged as an important cytological method. Toluidine blue has been studied for its use as rapid onsite stain for cytological evaluation on various samples of cytology in different anatomic sites. This has helped in quick and less expensive, preliminary reporting. Objectives This article aims to assess the efficacy of onsite toluidine blue stain on imprint smears of bronchoscopic biopsies to diagnose malignancy in suspected cases of lung carcinoma. Study Type Prospective study on accuracy of a diagnostic test. Materials and Methods A total of 100 cases of bronchoscopy were included in the study. The patients were clinico-radiologically suspected to have brochogenic carcinoma and all of them were subjected to biopsy. Imprint smears were prepared from the bronchoscopy biopsy specimens. Smears were stained onsite with toluidine blue stain, and histopathology sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, also confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Results Sensitivity and specificity of onsite toluidine blue stain for malignancy reporting were 97.9 and 80%, respectively, when compared to histopathology as standard. Conclusion Toluidine blue can be used as an onsite staining method on imprint smears of bronchoscopic biopsy for preliminary detection of lung malignancy.

Telecytologic diagnosis of cervical smears for triage of self-sampled human papillomavirus-positive women in a resource-limited setting: concept development before implementation.

Cytology is an option for triaging human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive women. The interpretation of cytologic slides requires expertise and financial resources that are not always available in resource-limited settings. A solution could be offered by manual preparation and digitization of slides on site for real-time remote cytologic diagnosis by specialists. In the present study, we evaluated the operational feasibility and cost of manual preparation and digitization of thin-layer slides and the diagnostic accuracy of screening with virtual microscopy. Operational feasibility was evaluated on 30 cervical samples obtained during colposcopy. The simplicity of the process and cellularity and quality of digitized thin-layer slides were evaluated. The diagnostic accuracy of digital versus glass slides to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse was assessed using a cohort of 264 HPV-positive Cameroonian women aged 30 to 49 years. The histologic results served as the reference standard. Manual preparation was found to be feasible and economically viable. The quality characteristics of the digital slides were satisfactory, and the mean cellularity was 6078 squamous cells per slide. When using the atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or worse threshold for positivity, the diagnostic performance of screening digital slides was not significantly different statistically compared with the same set of slides screened using a light microscope (P = 0.26). We have developed an innovative triage concept for HPV-positive women. A quality-ensured telecytologic diagnosis could be an effective solution in areas with a shortage of specialists, applying a same day "test-triage-treat" approach. Our results warrant further on-site clinical validation in a large prospective screening trial.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AUTOMATED CELL COUNTER HISTOGRAM AND PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR IN DIAGNOSIS OF ANAEMIA AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Introduction: In recent years, complete blood count, red blood cell histogram and peripheral blood smear have become important diagnostic tools for diagnosing various blood diseases. Anemia is a major public health problem worldwide, with high prevalence in developing countries like India1. Red blood cell count and histograms are essential for the diagnosis and management of anemia2. The most important diagnostic tool for testing in most commercial laboratories is the periodic analysis of blood lms. AIM: the aim of this study was to compare the role of automated cell count histograms and peripheral blood smear results in the diagnosis of anemia.. Material and method:A prospective comparative study of RBC histogram and peripheral blood smear in diagnosis of anemia was done on 900 patients of HB&lt;14gm%, over two month time span(September 2022-October 2022) in the central laboratory lab, Department of pathology, Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. All cases of anemia who received blood transfusions were excluded from this study. Result:It was observed in our study that on peripheral blood smears, the most common type of anemia was microcytic hypochromic anemia, followed by normochromic normocytic anemias. When we compared with the histogram generated by the automated cell counter, the most common type of anemia was hypochromic microcytic anemia, followed by normochromic normocytic anemia. In our study, the female population was more numerous than the males. The average age is (23 years old). Conclusion:CBC histograms and peripheral blood smears generated by automated cell counters play an important role in the diagnosis and management of red blood cell disorders. Our study observed that the histogram pattern and its conrmation by the peripheral blood smear along with the clinical medical history allow an accurate and conrmed diagnosis of various blood disorders. Accuracy and precision have been greatly improved resulting in reducing the subjective error3 .

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AUTOMATED CELL COUNTER HISTOGRAM AND PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEAR IN DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIA

Introduction: Over the past few years, complete blood count, RBC histogram and peripheral blood smear have become the important diagnostic tools to diagnose various haematological conditions. Major public health burden worldwide is anemia with high prevalence in developing countries like India1. Red blood cell and histogram are indispensable for diagnosis and management of anemia2. The major diagnostic tool for work up of most commercial laboratories has been analysing the blood lm routinely. The aim AIM: of the study is to compare between automated cell counter histogram and peripheral smear nding in diagnosis of anemia. Material and method: A prospective comparative study of RBC histogram and peripheral blood smear in diagnosis of anemia was done on 100 patients of HB&lt;14gm%, over six month time span (June2022-Nov2022) in the central laboratory of Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences Hapur, (UP) India. This study included all the age groups. All cases of anemia that have undergone blood transfusion is excluded from this study. In Result: our study it was observed that on peripheral blood smear, the most common type of anemia was microcytic hypochromic anemia followed by normocytic normochromic anemia, when we compared with automated cell counter generated histogram most common type of anemia was normocytic normochromic followed by microcytic hypochromic anemia. In our study female population were more than males. The mean age was(32.4yr). Automated cell counters generated CBC histograms and peripheral blood smears Conclusion: plays a major role in diagnosis and management of red cell disorder. Our study observed that histogram patterns and their conrmation by peripheral blood smear along with clinical history gives accurate and conrmed diagnosis of various haematogical conditions. There is much improvement in accuracy and precision 3 reducing the subjective errors .

Comparing Conventional Cytology Smear and Cell Block Techniques for Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis: A Prospective Observational Study

Introduction: The cytological examination of ascitic fluid is widely recognised and well-documented for its importance in staging and prognosis of malignancy, and for providing information about inflammatory lesions. The Cell Block (CB) method offers improved architectural patterns and morphological features, aiding in the differentiation between reactive mesothelial cells and malignant cells, thus enhancing the efficacy of cyst diagnosis. Additionally, the CB technique finds applications in molecular biology and immunocytochemistry, making it advantageous for targeted therapy due to its ability to preserve cytological material. Aim: To compare the accuracy of conventional cytology smear technique and CB from ascitic fluid with histopathology for diagnosing ovarian tumours. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. A total of 45 patients with suspected ovarian tumours or presence of ascites were included. Biopsy samples were sent to the pathology laboratory for histological evaluation, while study samples were collected from the Department of Pathology between January 2021 and December 2022. Sample processing techniques, such as conventional cytology {including cytocentrifugation before Giemsa, Pap, and Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&amp;E) staining} and thromboplastin-plasma technique for CB preparation, were employed. Evaluation parameters included comparing morphological features of frequently stained cytology smears and CB technique of ascitic fluid, along with their concordance with histopathological diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program for Windows, version 28.0. Results: Among 45 patients, majority 24 (53.40%) of them belonged to 41-60 years of age group. It was noted that 24 (53.40%) patients had ascites, 11 patients (24.40%) had abdominal pain with ascites, and 10 (22.20%) had ovarian mass with ascites. Conventional cytology smear diagnoses revealed that 22 (48.9%) patients had infiltrates of serous cystadenocarcinoma. A significant correlation was found between the findings of the CB and Conventional Smear (CS) (p=0.0001), with a sensitivity of 94.12%, specificity of 100%, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 100%, Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 85.71%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 95.65% for CB correlating with CS. Conclusion: A combined strategy utilising stained cytology smears and the CB technique of ascitic fluid could be considered in the diagnostic approach for malignant ovarian tumours.

Peripheral blood smear diagnosis of G6PD deficiency in an 83-year-old man.

An 83-year-old male was admitted to the emergency department for abrupt onset of jaundice and asthenia. Vital signs were in range, and physical examination was unremarkable except for jaundice and hyperchromic urine. Full blood count on admission showed his hemoglobin concentration to be 81 g/L with no alteration in white blood cell (WBC) or platelets count. Biochemical tests were significant for high bilirubin level 417.07 μmol/L (indirect bilirubin 369.53 μmol/L) and abnormal lactate dehydrogenase level 1520 μmol/L. The hypothesis of hemolytic anemia was confirmed by further laboratory tests, which showed undetectable haptoglobin and increased reticulocyte count 196 × 109/L. Direct and indirect Coombs tests were both negative, suggesting a Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia. A first blood smear did not show schistocytes and the coagulation profile was in order. Medical history was negative for oxidant drugs assumption, prosthetic heart valves, and liver and kidney diseases. Chest radiography was normal, and a complete abdominal echography did not show hepatomegaly or splenomegaly. Meanwhile, the patient clinical course was complicated by pain and tightness in the chest and dizziness and an electrocardiogram was compatible with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. A new set of lab tests showed severe anemia with 66 g/L of hemoglobin, and the patient undergone blood transfusion. In the suspicion of a hemolytic crisis in the context of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, an accurate anamnesis was collected and the patient confirmed the assumption of fava beans 3 days earlier after a long time. G6PD levels could not be assessed overnight, but a second blood smear was significant for bite, blister, and ghost cells (Figure 1 A and B), which are findings compatible with G6PD deficiency. Testing for G6PD was performed as soon as available and it revealed a significant G6PD deficiency (2.7 U/g Hb, normal range 8–14 U/g Hb, overestimated because of low Hb concentration). This is a case of G6PD deficiency diagnosed in 83-yer-old patient with no previous similar event in an unfavorable setting (emergency department by night). It highlights the necessity of high clinical suspicion of G6PD deficiency in the context of Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia, even in elderly patients. It is worth noting that different species of fava beans have a different capacity in inducing oxidative stress. Lastly, blood smear can still provide useful morphological data in supporting the diagnosis, regardless the immediate availability of G6PD test. Fabio Giglio conceived the study; D. Sannipoli, D. T. Clerici, and Fabio Giglio provided all clinical and hematological data; A. Boletini and P. Ronchi performed and analyzed morphology; D. Sannipoli and Fabio Giglio wrote the paper. All authors approved the paper. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

Ultra fast papanicolaou stain versus conventional papanicolaou stain in oral cytology smears

Background:Exfoliative cytology is the technique of microscopic examination of shed or desquamated cells from the epithelial surface of mucous membrane. Papanicolaou stain (PAP) is the common stain used for these cytological smears. Conventional PAP (cPAP) stain has undergone many modifications, of these ultrafast PAP (UFPAP) is a popular stain used as it shortens the staining time and quality. UFPAP was discovered as a fusion of Romanowsky and PAP.Aim and Objectives:To evaluate and estimate the quality of UFPAP and c PAP stains in oral cytology smears of normal mucosa (NM), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs).Materials and Methods:50 samples/smears were collected from outpatients from the Government Dental College and Hospital, Hyderabad. Samples include 10 cases of NM, 20 cases each of OPMDs (leukoplakia) and OSCC. Two cytological smears of representative areas were obtained and each smear is stained by the cPAP and UFPAP stains, respectively.Results and Observation:The quality index is obtained for the comparison of UFPAP and cPAP stains by using four parameters like - nuclear details, over all staining, background staining, and cell morphology. QI for all parameters of UFPAP staining was good compared to cPAP and percentage of UFPAP for NM, OPMDs and OSCC was 92.7%, 88.1%, 66.3% respectively.Conclusion:The study concludes that UFPAP staining is used for diagnosis in a regular oral cytology smears to offer immediate diagnosis of OPMDs and OSCCs.

Liquid Based Pap Smears for Detection of Infective Organisms in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and trichomonal vaginitis (TV) are the most common etiologies of infective vaginitis. The Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is a standard screening test for cervical precancerous lesions that can also be useful to identify infective organisms. This study aimed to identify the causativeorganisms for cervico-vaginal infection in liquid-based Pap smears. Methods: This study was a cross sectional study and included 370 liquid based Pap smears with infective organisms. Results: The most prevalent cervico-vaginal infection was BV, which was detected in 259 (70%) of the cases, followed by VVC in 64 (17.3%) and TV in 25 (6.8%) cases.Women aged 30-39 years were mostlyaffected. Conclusion: The present study shows the usefulness of cervical Pap smear in diagnosis of infective vaginitisother than epithelial cell abnormalities.

Cervical Cancer Screening Outcomes Among a Sample of Low-Income Uninsured Women: A Program-Based Study.

Background: Most studies examining cervical cancer screening outcomes have focused on either an age-specific diagnosis and outcomes of abnormal smears or frequency of abnormal outcomes among a sample of insured women. Thus, it is unclear what the distribution outcomes would be when other sociodemographic characteristics are considered. This study examines the variation in cervical cancer screening outcomes and sociodemographic characteristics (patients' age, marital status, race/ethnicity, rurality, and Papanicolaou [Pap] test screening history) within a sample of low-income and uninsured women.Materials and Methods: Our grant-funded program provided 751 Pap tests, 577 human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, and 262 colposcopies to 841 women between 2013 and 2019. Observed outcomes for each procedure type were cross-tabulated by patients' sociodemographic characteristics. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to test the independence of screening outcomes and sociodemographic characteristics.Results: The overall positivity rate was 7.2% for Pap tests (n = 54/751), 3.6% for HPV tests (n = 21/577), and 44.7% for colposcopies (n = 117/262). Significance tests suggested that the Pap test and colposcopy outcomes we observed were independent of sociodemographic characteristics in all but one instance—Pap test outcomes were not independent of patient age (p = 0.009). Moreover, the Pap test positivity rate increased with patient age.Conclusions: Our findings support recommendations to discontinue screening for women older than 65 years at low risk for cervical cancer. Our ability to identify an association between cervical screening outcomes and other sociodemographic characteristics may have been limited by our small sample size. This highlights an important barrier to studying health outcomes within low-income and uninsured populations, which are often missing in larger research data sets (e.g., claims).

COMPARISON OF CELL BLOCKS AND SMEAR EXAMINATION WITH FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SUPERFICIAL PALPABLE HEAD AND NECK LESIONS

OBJECTIVE: To compare the findings of cell blocks and smear examination with fine needle aspirates (FNA) in the diagnosis of superficial palpable head and neck lesions taking histopathology as the gold standard. METHODS: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad and Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar. Eighty patients of all age groups, having superficial clinically palpable lesions of head and neck region were recruited in the study from August 2014 to August 2015. FNA cytology, cell block and open biopsy were performed in all cases and compared with the histopathological examination. The data was recorded in a proforma and analyzed through SPSS Version-23. RESULTS: Out of 80 patients, 44 (55%) were males and 36 (45%) females. The age of patients ranged from 01-81 years with a mean age of 45.68±20.43 years. Lesions involving lymph nodes (n=31; 38.8%) and salivary gland (n=24; 30%) were common in head and neck region. Tuberculosis (n=15: 48.38%) and pleomorphic adenoma (n=13; 54.16%) were the common lesions involving lymph nodes and salivary glands respectively. Overall, 49 (61.2%) cases were benign/reactive and 31 (38.8%) cases were malignant on histopathology. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was 74.2%, 95.9%, 92% &amp; 85.5% for FNA smears and 83.9%, 98%, 96.3% and 90.6% for Cell Block respectively in diagnosing head and neck lesions. CONCLUSION: Cell block with better diagnostic accuracy can be used as adjunct to FNA smears in diagnosis of superficial palpable head and neck lesions.