Touch imprint cytology in biopsy of the infertile testis

OBJECTIVE: To identify different cell types in the testis by using touch im print cytology and to compare the cytologic findings to the histopathologic diagnosis in infertile men. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study used touch imprint preparations and in cluded 20 infertile men. The biopsy material obtained was stained with tolu idine blue, May-Grunwald-Giemsa stain and Papanicolaou stain. The cytologic results for oligospermic, normospermic and azospermic men were compared to the specific histopathologic diagnosis. The proportion of spermatogenic ve rsus Sertoli cells was calculated. The scores were compared between three g roups based on the results of the histologic biopsy: normal spermatogenesis , hypospermatogenesis and incomplete spermatogenic arrest. RESULTS: The mean ratio of the spermatogenic cells versus Sertoli cells was statistically significantly different in the three groups (P < .01). The m ean ratio of spermatogenic cells to Sertoli cells was higher in cases with normal spermatogenesis than in cases with hypospermatogenesis and incomplet e spermalogenic arrest, revealing a statistical difference (P < .01). This ratio was not statistically signficantly different between the hypospermato genesis and incomplete spermatogenic arrest groups. CONCLUSION: A cytologic demonstration of germinal cells by using touch impr int preparations may be a guide for histologic diagnosis.