Ciliary motility at light microscopy: a screening technique for ciliary defects

To verify whether or not ciliary motility can be reliably assessed by light microscopy alone, we examined the nasal brushings of 53 patients with susp ected ciliary dyskinesia and 10 healthy controls. The results of light micr oscopy were compared with cilia ultrastructure assessed with electron micro scopy. Ciliary motility was significantly related with cilia ultrastructure . However, eight cases of lung disease due to bronchiectasis of unknown ori gin had immotile cilia on light microscopy, but normal ciliary ultrastructu re on electron microscopy. Instances of normal and abnormal ultrastructure were detected in one case with motile cilia. There was an 83% agreement bet ween electron microscopy and light microscopy. Sensitivity and specificity of light microscopy were 92% and 80%, respectively. In conclusion, light mi croscopy evaluation of ciliary motility does not appear to be a reliable sc reening test for ciliary dyskinesia because it does not quantify ciliary be at activity, which is a criterion for deranged ciliary motion. A complete e valuation of ciliary ultrastructure together with in vivo, if applicable, o r in vitro function test (namely, the analysis of ciliary beat frequencies and/or waveform) is required for a definite diagnosis of ciliary dyskinesia .