Imprint cytology in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori - Does imprintingdamage the biopsy specimen?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of imprint cytology in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection and whether it damages the biopsy specime n for subsequent histologic examination. STUDY DESIGN: Two antral biopsies were taken from 76 patients with dyspepti c symptoms undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Imprint cytology wa s made form the first specimen. This specimen was fixed in 10% formalin adn sent for histopathologic examination. The second specimen was directly fix ed in 10% formalin for routine histopathologic examination without being us ed for an imprint. The imprint smears were examined bt cytopathologists. Th e biopsy specimens were examined by pathologists who did not know which spe cimens were used for the imprints. RESULTS: H pylori was seen in smears from 55 (72%) patients and in both bio psy specimens from the same patients. The pathologists could not recognize the biopsy specimens from which the imprints were made. Concordance between imprint cytology adn histopathology was 100%. CONCLUSION: Imprint cytology is a suitable test for H pylori diagnosis, and imprints do not adversely affect the quality of the biopsy specimen.