CELL BLOCK OVER TRADITIONAL SMEARS IN PLEURAL FLUID CYTOLOGY- A 3 YEARS STUDY IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE.

Introduction: Pleural fluid cytology helps in staging and prognosis of malignant lesions. Recognizing whether cells in serous effusions are malignant or reactive mesothelial cells could pose a diagnostic problem in conventional smears. Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted out between June 2020 and June 2023 . 260 pleural fluid samples were obtained for the purpose of research using both smear and cell-block techniques. Based on the microscopic features all the pleural fluids has been classified as Benign, Suspicious of malignancy or positive for malignancy in both smear and cell block. In conventional smear(CS), 237 patients had a benign eff Results: usion, 6 had a suspected malignancy, and 17 had a positive result for malignancy. There were 235 cases of benign effusion, 2 cases of suspected malignancy, and 23 cases of malignant effusion in cell block. In the present study diagnostic yield of malignant pleural effusion Discussion: in cell block (8.85%) is more than that in conventional smears(6.54%). Hence the diagnostic yield of malignant effusion in cell block method is more when compared to smears. Immunocytochemistry with BerEp4 and calretinin helps if malignant mesothelioma is suspected. The stu Conclusion: dy recommends using both smears and cell blocks in parallel to increase diagnostic accuracy.Also cell Block improves the diagnostic potential when paired with IHC in situations of suspected malignant mesothelioma.