ALCOHOLIC CARBOWAX PREFIXATION AND FORMAL ALCOHOL FIXATION - A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR URINE CYTOLOGY

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cellular yield and sensitivity of cancer det ection by urine cytology using alcoholic carbowax as a prefixative and formal alcohol as a final fixative with the conventional centrifugati on-and-smearing method. STUDY DESIGN: Four hundred seventeen voided ur ine:specimens were examined. Each specimen was divided into two equal portions. One portion was centrifuged and wet fixed (CS). The other wa s treated with alcoholic carbowax as a prefixative and then fixed in f ormal alcohol (CW). The smears were studied for cellular yield, morpho logy, cancer detection rate and typing. RESULTS: The CW method yielded significantly more cells with excellent morphology. It detected 25 mo re abnormal cases out of a total of 86, including 5 more transitional cell carcinomas, as compared to the CS method. This finding was statis tically significant (P < .0000003). CONCLUSION: The CW method is simpl e and enhances cellular yield and the cancer detection rate as compare d to the conventional centrifuge-and-smear technique.