Author(s): Longatto Filho, Adhemar ; Namiyama, Gislene ; Castelo Filho, Adauto ; Viann, Maria Regina ; Dôres, Gerson B. das ; Taromaru, Eliane
Date: 2005
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/4011
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Subject(s): Cytology; Specimem adequacy; Liquid cytology
Introduction: DCS is a new liquid-base cytology system for cell collected in UCM. Objective: assess technical aspects of DCS under different pro-tocols. Methods: the first experiment was performed with 144 samples. After cervical scraping with Ayre spatula and endocervical brushing, the sample was immediately smeared on the slide and alcohol-fixed. The same brush with residual cells was used to scrap the ectocervical surface and conditioned in a UCM tube. For each case, 4 slides were prepared according to DCS procedures, except the vortexing time (5, 10, 15 and 20 seconds) from protocols 1 to 4. The second experiment was made with 50 samples, with a vortexing time of 30 seconds. Cytological criteria for sample quality were: cell distribution (empty areas and clumping), fixation artifacts, cellularity and presence of TZC. Results: on the experiment 1, significant dif-ferences were detected between protocols 1 and 4, but not between protocols 2 and 3. Compared to conventional smears, DCS preparations showed lesser empty areas in slides 1 and 4 (p = 0.024 and p = 0.003). No fixation artifacts and high TZC representation were found in protocols 3 and 4. In the experiment 2, although not statistically significant, more cases with TZC were seen. No adverse effects were found on Pap staining, cytomorphol-ogy or on fixation cells properties. Conclusion: these preliminary results with 20 or 30 seconds vortexing yielded well-preserved cytomorphology, with high representation of endocervical cells and better cells distribution, thus leading to a favorable expectative regarding its use in large trials for assessing diagnostic performance.
