[Croatian Society for Clinical Cytology guidelines for thyroid cytology]. / Smjernice u citoloskoj dijagnostici stitnjace Hrvatskoga drustva za klinicku citologiju.

The main purpose of thyroid FNA (fine needle aspiration) is to separate malignant and possibly malignant nodules from benign thyroid lesions. Every patient with thyroid nodule is a candidate for FNA. Before a decision to perform an FNA, a complete history, a physical examination directed to the thyroid and cervical lymph nodes, a serum thyrotropin level, and thyroid ultrasound should be obtained. Thyroid lesion with a maximum diameter greater than 1.5 cm or nodule of any size with sonographically suspicious features is an indication for FNA. Ultrasound-guided FNA of the thyroid is recommended. The requisition form that accompanies FNA should contain the identifying data, location and size of the nodule, and relevant laboratory and clinical data. FNA diagnosis of thyroid disease is a clinicocytologic diagnosis, and correlation with clinical findings is mandatory for success. Thyroid FNA classification scheme consists of a four diagnostic categories according to the risk of malignancy: benign lesions, indeterminate lesions according to malignancy, malignant tumors, and non-diagnostic. Ancillary studies (immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, flow cytometry) are usually helpful in borderline cases.

Clinical cytology and primary health care of children and adults.

Clinical cytology is a diagnostic branch of medicine, best known by the Papa test in gynaecology. But, cytology can be applied in almost all fields of clinical medicine. Its advantages--high accuracy, simplicity, with little or no aggressiveness and low cost--are not used as widely as they could be. Medical practice, as well as medical research, and also medical education, are nowadays often directed at profitable use and not at the real benefit of the patient. Primary practitioners do not have enough chance to get acquainted with clinical cytology as a whole although they need true information, based on the cost-effectiveness and patient-benefit. A panel discussion on this subject was organised at the 4th Croatian Congress of Clinical Cytology, in Split, October 11-14, 2009 by the Croatian Society for Clinical Cytology-Croatian Medical Association, to inform primary practitioners about the possibilities of cytodiagnostics in the health care of children and adults. Indications for cytodiagnostics in infectious diseases (T. Jeren and A. Vince), haematology (I. Kardum-Skelin), pulmonology (S. Smojver-Jezek), thyroid diseases (A. Knezevic-Obad), breast diseases (I. Kardum-Skelin), gastroenterology and urology (G. Kaic) were discussed, as well as technical procedures and the interpretation of the cytological findings. Moderator (Z. Znidarcic) opened the panel with presentation about the role of clinical cytology, particularly in the primary health care. The discussion finally pointed at the necessity of better communication between primary practitioners and cytologists. This review article presents contents of the panel discussion.

Diagnostic pitfalls in parathyroid gland cytology.

The aim of this study is to establish possibilities of using cytology in the diagnosis of parathyroid gland adenoma. 475 patients, all suspected to have parathyroid gland disease, were examined over a three-year period (from 1 of January 2006 to 31 of December 2008) in the Clinical Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Croatia. Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (UG-FNAB) of suspected occurrences determined by ultrasound was done. Samples obtained by UG-FNAB were air-dried and stained using the May-Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) staining procedure. PTH levels were determined in all punctate and sera obtained on the day of UG-FNAB. Samples adequate for cytological analysis were obtained from 288 patients, while 187 punctates did not contain epithelial elements. The parathyroid hormone (PTH) analysis was made for all punctates. The adenoma was diagnosed via morphological characteristics in 71 out of 288 punctates that were proven adequate for cytological analysis. Increased PTH levels were later on established in all diagnosed adenomas. All patients with cytology-based diagnosis of parathyroid gland adenoma were sent to surgery, and the cytological diagnosis was confirmed by pathohistology. In three cases, the parathyroid gland adenoma was established by pathohistology, although in these cases the cytological diagnosis was negative. The cytological diagnosis of parathyroid gland adenoma can be considered reliable in 96% of cases, provided that the echosonographic structure and localisation of the punctured node is noted, and assuming that material adequate for cytological analysis is obtained by FNAB. Possible pitfalls are oncocytic types of parathyroid adenoma, intranuclear inclusions and papillary formation of epithelial cells, and cystic degeneration of nodules. These errors can be avoided by defining the PTH level on the same punctate.

Imprint cytology of gastric mucosa biopsy--fast, simple and reliable method for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection.

The aim of the study was to determine the value of gastric mucosa imprint cytology in the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. A total of 182 biopsy specimens, from 182 randomly selected patients undergoing gastroscopy with gastric mucosa biopsy, were analyzed. Specimens were first submitted to slide imprinting and then formalin fixed for further routine histopathology. One-hundred and fifty-five specimens proved adequate for definitive comparison of the methods used for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori was detected by histopathology in 51 specimens and by cytology in 54 specimens. Agreement between the findings obtained by the two methods was recorded in 130 of 155 (83.1%) specimens. Positive cytology and negative histology findings were obtained in 14, and vice versa in 11 specimens. Gastric mucosa imprint cytology provides a useful method for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. The method is advantageous for being fast, simple and inexpensive. When the sample is obtained exclusively for confirmation of the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection, cytology reduces the time and cost of the procedure, at the same time providing data on morphological changes of gastric mucosa. Every finding suspect of malignant transformation of the mucosa can also be verified by histopathology because imprint manipulation causes no damage to the sample.

[Cytomorphological characteristics of thyroid papillary carcinoma and their prognostic value]. / Citomorfoloske karakteristike klasicnog papilarnog karcinoma stitnjace i njihovo prognosticko znacenje.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine cytomorphological characteristics of classic papillary carcinoma that could point to a higher likelihood of intraglandular or paraglandular dissemination of the disease. METHODS: Morphological characteristics of classic thyroid papillary carcinoma and the size and ultrasonography characteristics of thyroid nodules were semiquantitatively analyzed in 100 patients diagnosed with papillary carcinoma by cytology and verified by histology. Data on the presence of intraglandular and paraglandular dissemination, established by histologic examination of postoperative material, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 16 male and 84 female patients aged 4-78 (mean 48.8) years. Polymorphism, multinucleation, intranuclear inclusions, psammoma bodies, presence of follicles, Hürthle like cells and connective tissue elements were present in 31%, 62%, 88%, 19%, 16%, 26%, 10% of cases, respectively. Thyroid nodule size was 4-80 mm (mean 14.5 mm) and up to 10 mm in 50% of cases; 76% of nodules were hypoechoic, 96% had irregular margins, and calcifications were present in 71% of nodules. Intraglandular dissemination and neck lymph node metastases were found in 16% of patients. Paraglandular dissemination was observed in 15% of cases. Statistical analysis showed no significant cytologic characteristic that would imply a higher or lower likelihood of intraglandular dissemination. Older age was found to be a risk factor for paraglandular but not intraglandular dissemination, while nodule size and neck lymph node metastases were not important for the presence of intraglandular or paraglandular dissemination. CONCLUSION: Since no marker that could indicate a higher or lower likelihood of intraglandular and/or paraglandular dissemination of thyroid papillary carcinoma has yet been identified, it is advisable to perform total thyroidectomy when papillary carcinoma is diagnosed by cytologic examination, irrespective of the nodule size or tumor subtype.

[Comparison of cytological and histological analysis of gastric mucosa biopsy in diagnosing malignant diseases]. / Usporedba vrijednosti citoloske i histoloske analize bioptickog uzorka zelucane sluznice u dijagnozi malignih bolesti.

The aim of this study was to determine the value of cytological analysis of an imprint of gastric mucosa biopsy compared to the histological evaluation, in diagnosing malignant diseases of gastric mucosa. In this study 70 patients, with changes of gastric mucosa endoscopically suspect of malignancy were included. Biopsy and imprint of gastric mucosa were performed in order to obtain morphological diagnosis. In the investigated group 46 patients (65.7%) were male, 24 patients (34.2%) were female, mean age 60 years (36-83). In 34 patients endoscopy finding suggested malignancy, in 23 endoscopy finding was described as gastric ulcer, in three as duodenal ulcer, in five as polyp, and in five as gastritis. In 42 patients malignancy was proved by pathohistological examination while in imprint smears of gastric mucosa biopsy the diagnosis of malignancy was made in 46 patients. In five patients malignant cells were found on cytological examination of imprint smears, and pathohistological examination did not find malignant tumour. In one patient malignant tumour was found on pathohistological examination, and cytological examination of an imprint smear did not find malignant cells. The results indicate that cytological examination of an imprint smear of gastric mucosa biopsy is satisfactory for proving malignant changes. In case of positive cytological and negative pathohistological analysis, it is recommended to repeat biopsy and imprint cytology in order to obtain morphological diagnosis.