Ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology of the axilla in the pre-operative identification of axillary nodal involvement in breast cancer.

Aims: Pre-operative diagnosis of axillary nodal involvement in breast cancer allows one-stage axillary surgery. We evaluated the efficacy of axillary ultrasound (US) with US guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of axillary nodal involvement.

Methods: Over a 13-month period, we performed US of 369 axillae in patients with screen-detected (n = 278) and symptomatic (n = 91) invasive carcinoma of the breast, at the same time as US of the primary tumour.

The use of carbon suspension as an adjunct to wire localisation of impalpable breast lesions.

Aim: To determine the accuracy and therapeutic success of localisation of impalpable breast lesions by hookwire with additional lesion marking with carbon suspension to mark screen detected abnormalities requiring surgical excision.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective review of all breast localisation procedures performed in our unit on women with a screen detected abnormality requiring excision over a 7 year period.

Results: One hundred and thirty eight women underwent breast localisation procedures.

On the origin of the kattunayakas of nilgiris.

This paper presents an account of the origin of Kattunayakas , one of the tribes of the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.

Discordance between cytologic and histologic reports in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Results of a one-year audit.

In order to investigate the factors contributing to cases in which the cytology and histology reports of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) differ, we assessed the impact of careful review of the biopsy and its corresponding cervical smear. In a one-year audit of all cervical biopsies we found that 18.8% of biopsy-smear pairs disagreed by at least two grades of CIN.

An analysis of the variation of human interpretation: Papnet a mini-challenge.

The Papnet was given a mini-challenge of 200 cervical smears loaded to 50% with varying degrees of abnormality as interpreted by the originating laboratory. The range of abnormality extended from 'atypia' to invasive cancer and a few 'glandular' lesions were included as were a few smears which had been reported as 'inadequate'. Three cytologists (two cytopathologists and one cytotechnologist) read and analysed the 128 monitor pictures per slide, selected by the Scanning Algorithm and Neural Network systems.

What is vestibular papillomatosis? A study of its prevalence, aetiology and natural history.

Objectives: To clarify the prevalence, aetiology, symptoms and natural history of vestibular papillomatosis.

Design: Study in two parts: 1. prevalence assessed by colposcopic examination of the vulva of unselected patients by one doctor (J.

Less known edible fruit - yielding plants of nilgiris.

The present paper is concerned with 27 species belonging to 22 generate and 18 families, which yield wild edible fruits. They are arranged in alphabetical order followed by their local names and habit. An attempt has been also made to indicate the nutritive values of edible portions on the basis of documented literature.

The association between sexually transmitted diseases and inflammatory cervical cytology.

Objectives: To assess the significance of inflammatory changes as a marker of sexually transmitted diseases and their use as a diagnostic aid.

Methods: 363 patients attending a department of genito urinary medicine were examined prospectively. All underwent cervical cytology and full STD screening.

Histological differences between colposcopic-directed biopsy and loop excision of the transformation zone (LETZ): a cause for concern.

Colposcopic examination and biopsy were performed on 100 patients with abnormal cervical cytology. All were suitable for ablative therapy but were treated by loop excision of the transformation zone (LETZ) as outpatients. Histological comparison between the colposcopic biopsies and LETZ samples showed poor agreement with only 43% of cases illustrating identical degrees of dysplasia.

Non-invasive management of fever and breathlessness in HIV positive patients.

In a prospective study of 72 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients presenting with fever and breathlessness, a non-invasive management protocol, incorporating a scanning technique using radioactively labelled diethylenetriamine penta acetate (DTPA) and sputum induction, was found to be highly sensitive and specific in the early detection of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). At presentation, the DTPA scan was abnormal in 34 of 36 cases of PCP, irrespective of smoking history, whilst the chest radiograph was diffusely abnormal in 21 cases. Sputum induction identified 7 of 14 patients with PCP in the first six months of its use and 7 of 10 patients over the last six months.

Examination of induced sputum in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

The results of the examination of sputum induced by the inhalation of nebulized hypertonic saline in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) are presented. In suspected cases of PCP in patients who were either HIV antibody positive or were receiving immunosuppressive therapy, 46 induced sputum specimens were stained using both Grocott's modified Gomori methenamine silver nitrate (GMS) and immunofluorescence staining. In 12 specimens P.

A comparison of four cytological sampling techniques in a genitourinary medicine clinic.

Four cytological sampling techniques (the Ayre's spatula alone, the Ayelesbury spatula, the Ayre's spatula in conjunction with a Cytobrush (Medscand), and the Cervex (Steriseal] were compared when used in a genitourinary medicine clinic. Over a period of two years 6991 smears were taken. No difference was found between the methods with regard to detection of dyskaryosis, although there were significant differences in the percentage of smears containing endocervical cells.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of salivary gland lesions: advantages and pitfalls.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed on 52 patients with salivary gland lesions. A definitive cytodiagnosis was possible in 45 cases: a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 94% was achieved. The pitfalls of FNAC of salivary gland lesions are reflected by the false positive and false negative rates which were 4%.