Evaluation of the micro-histological technique for blood clot paraffin embedding in diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration
Rasi, A.; Morisi, C.; Riviezzo, G.; Drei, F.; Merendi, E.; Magni, E.
Pathologica 85(1100): 739-746
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-2983 PMID: 8170722 Document Number: 422364
Since a certain amount of blood is nearly always present in the material obtained through needle-aspiration, we have considered it helpful to take advantage of this event, in order to increase the information which is drawn from this type of investigation. We have evaluated the material obtained by means of ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration of 287 lesions of superficial and deep sites, and we have used 1) a microhistologic method, which employs formalin fixation and paraffin embedding of blood clot (while the blood acts as a support of cells and tissue fragments), and 2) the classic smear cytologic method. The percentage of diagnostic accuracy was similar using both methods, but the microhistologic method presented a few advantages, i.e. greater diagnostic reliability, and long preservation of the residual material, which can subsequently be used for further special stains. These considerations are particularly true for hepatic lesions, which are more than a half of all cases.