A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MALIGNANCY DETECTION IN BODY-FLUID EXAMINATION BY THE CYTOPATHOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY LABORATORIES

Background.-Body fluid specimens in many institutions are submitted fo r cytologic examination as well as for examination in a clinical micro scopy or hematology laboratory. The cytology laboratory is generally s een as the standard for detection of malignancy, whereas the clinical microscopy laboratory is often depended on predominantly for cell coun ting and categorization. Methods.-To analyze the effectiveness of the hematology laboratory at detecting malignant fluids, this study retros pectively analyzed reports on 397 body fluid specimens (cerebrospinal, pericardial, peritoneal, and pleural) that were concurrently submitte d over a 12-month period to both the cytopathology laboratory and the hematology laboratory. Results.-Thirty-seven (9.3%) of the cases were diagnosed as malignant by at least one of the two examinations. The cy topathology examination reported 27 (73%) of the 37 malignant cases as malignant and 30 (81.1%) as at least atypical (27 malignant and 3 inc onclusive), and the hematology examination reported 34 (91.9%) as mali gnant and 36 (97.3%) as at least atypical. A concordant malignant diag nosis was given by both laboratories in 24 (64.9%) of the 37 cases. Co nclusions.-These results show that examination of specimens by the hem atology laboratory can provide a highly sensitive diagnostic evaluatio n in addition to its more customary role of providing timely cell coun ts.