Role of Intraoperative Imprint Cytology in Diagnosis of Suspected Ovarian Neoplasms

Background: The present study was conducted to assess whether cytology can help in rapid diagnosis of ovarianneoplasms and thus facilitate individualised treatment.
Methods: A prospective investigation was performed on30 cases of suspected ovarian neoplasms. Imprint smears were made intraperatively from fresh samples fromvarious representative areas, and stained with Leishman Giemsa for air-dried smears, and with hematoxylinand eosin and Papanicolaou for alcohol-fixed smears. A rapid opinion regarding the benign or malignant natureof the lesion and the type of tumour was given.
Results: The overall sensitivity was 96.2%, specificity 75%,positive predictive value 96.3%, and diagnostic accuracy of 83.3%. Characteristic cytological patterns werenoted in various epithelial and germ cell tumours.
Conclusions: Imprint cytology can be used as an adjunctto histopathology for rapid and early diagnosis in the operation theatre, thus helping better management ofpatients.