OBJECTIVE: This research was undertaken to study the technique of guided transthoracic lung FNAC of clinically suspected lung tumors and the establish role of FNAC smears, cytospin smears, and cellblocks in the detection and typing of neoplastic lung lesions and correlation.
METHODS: Guided FNAC was taken from 100 cases of clinically suspected lung tumor and FNAC smears, cytospin smears, and cellblocks of aspirated material were studied over a period of 2 years from September 2011 to September 2013.
RESULTS: The material adequacies were 80% in FNAC smears, 83% in cytospin smears, and 89% in cellblocks. Additional information supported by cytospin smear and cellblock was 3% and 9%, respectively. Architectural preservation was better in FNAC smears (85%) and cellblocks (73.03%) than that in cytospin smears (31.33%). Morphological preservation was better in FNAC smears (90%) and cellblocks (75.28%) than that in cytospin smears (14.46%). Diagnostic accuracy was increased in the cellblocks and cytospin smears.
CONCLUSIONS: Cytospin smear was helpful when low cellular material was obtained, and the concomitant examination of cellblocks not only confirmed the diagnosis of malignancy but also helped in classifying the obtained material and allowed further study on the same.