[Recollections of the development of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital].

My recollections of the development of clinical cytology at Merkur University Hospital cover a 30-year period, from 1955 to 1985, and succession of generations. The beginning is always exciting, pervaded by youthful enthusiasm, while memories are quite nostalgic. That is how I also felt at the "Ruzdić's" medical biochemistry laboratory.

[Postgraduate study in clinical cytology since 1967--foundation and impact on the development of cytology in Croatia].

In Croatia, clinicians were the first to introduce clinical cytology in the first half of the 20th century. At that time, Beata Brauzil introduced morphological diagnosis in hematology and educated a critical number of clinicians and other enthusiasts interested in cytology. Following the 1963 World Health Organization guidelines on the value of cytodiagnosis in the early detection of cancer and the need of respective education in cytology of medical students, clinicians, pathologists and other professionals, Erik Hauptmann, an internist (as the first head) and Ante Zimolo, a pathologist, initiated foundation of the Postgraduate Study in Medical/Clinical Cytology (PSMCC) in 1967.

[Role of the clinician in cytologic diagnosis].

In the course of continuing education for physicians on nongynaecological cytology, together with the topics about development and actual situation in clinical cytology, especially in Croatia, as well as those about the technical procedures in cytology, the clinicians' participation in the interpretation of cytological diagnosis was discussed. The term "clinicians" is used here for those physicians who need a rapid, accurate and nonaggressive morphological diagnostic method for the treatment of their patients. The central part of the course was a round-table discussion about the role of clinicians in making cytological diagnosis, with participation of cytologists and clinicians from various branches of medicine, who are either cytologists, or have a good contact with cytologists.

Morphologic diagnosis of Hürthle cell tumors of the thyroid gland.

Despite difficulties in differential diagnosis, aspiration cytology offers unique advantages in the preoperative diagnosis of Hürthle cell (HC) tumors of the thyroid gland over immunocytochemistry and micromorphometry, which have not achieved the anticipated success in the diagnosis of HC tumors. Aspiration cytology is comparable, in terms of speed and accuracy, to microspectrometry of DNA content in HC tumors, a technique that is not convenient for routine use. Detailed morphologic analysis of 19 characteristics of the smears and of the cells revealed five parameters adding to the sensitivity, specificity and reliability of routine diagnosis: HC collection in the form of nests, marked or at least moderate anisocytosis and anisokaryosis, multinucleation and emphasized nucleoli.

Fine needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative diagnosis of ultrasonically enlarged parathyroid glands.

The value of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in the diagnosis of ultrasonically suspected parathyroid gland enlargements was reviewed for a six-year series of cases. In 146 patients, 277 FNA biopsies under ultrasound guidance were performed on suspected enlarged parathyroid glands. Smears were routinely stained by the Pappenheim (May-Grünwald-Giemsa) method, and the Grimelius silver stain was used to demonstrate argyrophilic granules in the cytoplasm of parathyroid cells.

Aspiration cytology of renal-cell carcinoma metastatic to the thyroid.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of a thyroid mass clinically suspected of being acute thyroiditis led to a cytologic diagnosis of hypernephroma metastatic to the thyroid and to the subsequent detection of the occult primary tumor. The FNA cytomorphologic findings were substantiated by cytochemical staining of FNA samples and confirmed by subsequent histopathologic examination of the resected thyroid. Postoperative studies revealed an expansive growth in the left kidney; analysis of the nephrectomy specimen showed an invasive renal-cell carcinoma.

Cytomorphological and cytochemical classification of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

One hundred cases of adult AML were classified cytomorphologically (FAB-classification) and cytochemically (Loeffler's classification). From this combined analysis it could be shown that some corrections have to be made in the FAB-classification; particularly groups M-1 and M-4 had to be reclassified. The authors, therefore, advocate that the final FAB-classification should be the result of cytomorphologic as well as cytochemical analysis.

Hb A2-Zagreb or alpha 2 delta 2(125)(H3)Gln replaced by Glu, a new delta chain variant in association with delta beta-thalassemia.

The structural identification of a new delta chain variant is described. The abnormal Hb A2 was found in two members of a family from Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The propositus also had a delta beta-thalassemia heterozygosity.

Cytological and biochemical methods for the characterization of in vitro cultured cells.

The aim of our presentation was to show how we characterize cells cultured in monolayer system. Cytological and biochemical methods were used. Ovarian Krukenberg tumour fibroblasts were investigated and findings were correlated with normal human diploids (HDZ1) and with fibroblasts obtained from Blighted ovum.

Comparison between cytochemical changes, concentration of PAS-positive substances in peripheral blood lymphocytes and changes of blood glucose values during the oral glucose tolerance test.

The purpose of the study was to analyse the correlation between the blood glucose values and the quantity of PAS-positive substances in lymphocytes observed in different groups of subjects during oral glucose loading. In 300 subjects--100 persons with a normal OGTT, 100 pregnant women (with normal, borderline and diabetic OGTT), 50 diabetic patients, 20 borderline cases of diabetes, and 30 persons with a 'lag form' OGIT--the PAS-index was measured at each point of the OGTT. The values of the PAS-index curve followed the values of the blood glucose level, and the results obtained in different groups of persons were compared.