OBJECTIVES: To determine the significance of a ''suspicious'' cytology
report, to evaluate diagnostic accuracy for these specimens in the la
boratory and to review the correlation of tumor subclassification in c
ytology versus histology. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review and compa
rison of 269 bronchoscopic cytology and histology specimens from a Six
-year period, 1984-1990. The relative and combined sensitivities of th
e sampling methods were studied. RESULTS: There were 17 suspicious cyt
ologic diagnoses during this period. One of 17 was a false suspicious
diagnosis, representing 0.03% of all reports on submitted samples. The
re were no false positive cytologic diagnoses. The majority (94%) of p
atients with a suspicious cytologic report had a final diagnosis of ma
lignancy. Carcinoma was diagnosed in 244 of the 269 patients. CONCLUSI
ON: Combined bronchoscopic cytology and biopsy was move sensitive (92%
) than biopsy alone (82%) in making the initial diagnosis.