Rinse fluid and imprint smear cytology of bronchial biopsies in diagnosis of lung tumors.

The usefulness of rinse fluid and imprint smear cytology of the bronchial biopsy has been studied in diagnosis of lung cancer. However, scarce data is available regarding rinse fluid cytology of biopsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate these cytologic techniques for their diagnostic accuracy. Bronchial biopsy was taken in 52 patients clinically/radiologically suspected to have lung carcinoma. Imprint smears of the biopsy were prepared, following which it was put in balanced saline solution to collect rinse fluid of biopsy before transferring it to formalin for fixation. Cytological diagnosis from imprint and rinse fluid smears was compared with histopathological diagnosis. Malignancy was detected in 45 cases of 52 patients on histopathology. Positive result was given by rinse fluid cytology in 34 (65.4%) cases while diagnostic accuracy was 78.8%. The imprint smears were positive for malignancy in 44 (84.6%) cases with diagnostic accuracy of 98.08%. There were no false-positive results, but one case was incorrectly typed by both the techniques. Imprint smear cytology has a better diagnostic accuracy and efficacy over rinse fluid while the two cytologic techniques can be used in combination routinely with biopsy to provide an early and reliable diagnosis in lung cancer.