A Comparative Study of Cell Block and Conventional Smear Techniques in Exfoliative Fluid Cytology.

Introduction:- The cytological analysis of bodily fluids is crucial for the diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and ongoing patient care. Conventional smears (CSs) of effusions are significantly easier to prepare than paraffin sections, although they are not as sensitive in identifying cancer. Objectives: - To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of both CS and CB as independent tests and as a combined method. Material And Methods: - Over the course of six months, from July 2022 to December 2022, an observational cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in North-East India. During the research period, 101 exfoliative fluid samples were subjected to the CS and CB procedures and examined. Result: - The age range of 41 to 60 was the most prevalent. CB had higher cellularity and diagnostic yield than CS. The majority of adenocarcinomas were found in peritoneal fluid, while the majority of squamous cell carcinomas were found in pleural fluid. Conclusion: - According to the study's findings, CB is a more accurate diagnostic modality than CS, and should always be used in conjunction with CS to achieve a more accurate diagnosis.