Abstract:
This is a descriptive study carried out in Omdurman Teaching
Hospital during the period from January 2005 to April 2005 . The
study aimed at assessing the cytomorphological pattern of pleural
effusions and screening for malignant changes in patients with
accumulated pleural effusions .
50 cytological samples were collected from patients with pleural
effusions and processed then microscopically examined. The
cytological smears revealed the following findings :
Malignant cells “adenocarcinoma type” were found in 3(6%)
samples , among which 2(4%) were in females samples and
1(2%) in male sample. However , most of the specimens showed
dense inflammatory infiltrate “acute , chronic” , which were
detected in 40(80%) of the study subjects . Neutrophils and
lymphocytes found in 40(80%) samples , histocytes in 39(78%)
samples , plasma cells in 5(9%) samples , and eosinophils in only
3(6%) samples .
On the basis of this study , cytomorphological assessment of
pleural effusions is essential for diagnosis and patients
management , nevertheless , immunocytochemistry will improve
the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in this setting .