Cytological smear is widely employed to analyse specimens obtained from endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), but false-negative or inconclusive results may occur. A better diagnostic yield can be obtained from processing cell blocks. We compared the effectiveness of the cell block technique and cytological smear in the diagnosis of @entity788 . From January 1997 to December 2006, 611 @entity1 with @entity788 were evaluated by EUS-FNA. Surgery was performed in 356 cases, and the other 255 @entity1 were followed clinically for an average of 12.8 months. In total, 282 (46.2%) @entity1 were evaluated with cytological smears, and 329 (53.8%) were evaluated using only cell blocks. @entity5 was detected in 352 (57.6%) cases, in which @entity420 accounted for 236 (67%) cases. A benign disease was found in the other 259 cases, including 35.1% focal chronic @entity788 and 32.4% pseudocysts. Aspiration samples were satisfactory in 595 (97.4%) @entity1 after an average of 2.2 (1-4) passes of the needle. Regardless of the cytopathological examination technique, EUS-FNA confirmed malignancy in 269 of 352 (76.4%) cases, and a benign disease in 257 of 259 (99.2%) cases. For @entity1 who received surgery with histologically confirmed lesions, the sensitivity specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of the smears versus cell blocks in diagnosing @entity788 were 61% versus 85.2% (P<0.001), 100% versus 93.1%, 100% versus 98.4%, 36% versus 55.1% (P=0.046) and 68% versus 86.5% (P<0.001), respectively The cell block technique demonstrated a hig her sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy than cytological smears.

Cell block technique and cytological smears for the differential diagnosis of XXXX after endosonography-guided fine-needle aspiration.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity788 :: ('MESH:D010190', 'Disease') :: ['pancreatitis', 'pancreatic neoplasms', 'pancreatic tumors'] @entity420 :: ('MESH:D000230', 'Disease') :: ['adenocarcinoma'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['Malignant disease']
@entity788 :: (MESH:D010190,Disease) :: ['pancreatic neoplasms']
