Implementation of cell block technique on fine needle aspiration from liver disease

Objectives: The study was conducted in Dar Al Uloom University during the period (June - August 2017 ) to assess the implementation of cell block technique in the diagnosis of liver disease based on specimen adequacy and diagnostic accuracy, to evaluate the level of background staining, cellularity, nuclear, cytoplasmic preservation in cell block section, to compare the differences between the diagnostic results of cell block slides, conventional smears and to explore the feasibility of the use of cell block preparation in routine cytology. Methods: Eighty study subject were selected for the study, ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration was obtained from liver, then aspirate cells fixed in 40% formalin overnight, the supernatant fluid was decanted and settle cells warped in filter paper and then placed in a tissue cassette. All tissue cassette processed in an automatic tissue processor, the cell block were embedded in paraffin wax, and 4-6 micron were cut using standard rotary microtome. The sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stain and cover with cover slip using DPX mounting media, and cytological smears was also stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Results: The result obtained that the high score (+3) in smear 41(51.3%) while in cell block 27(33.8%). Moreover when compared the final architecture preservation which include nuclear and cytoplasmic preservation, the nuclear preservation were the best by cytological smears than cell blocks, score (+3) in smears 43(53.8%) while in cell block 37(46.3%). In the comparison of cytoplasmic preservation between the two methods found that the cytological smears was the best, the high score (+3)42 (52.5%) while in cell block 35(43.8%) comparing to the background staining found that the cell block has mild background staining 55(68.8%) while smears 7(8.8%) Conclusion: In this study smear preparation was the best in comparison with cell block technique in preservation of cells, nucleus and cytoplasm of liver disease.