TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of telecytopathology for preliminary assessment of fine-needle aspirations performed at a remote facility
AU - Farrell, Jessica M.
AU - Riben, Michael W.
AU - Staerkel, Gregg A.
AU - Huang, Monica L.
AU - Dawlett, Marilyn
AU - Caraway, Nancy P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Society of Cytopathology
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - Introduction The need for real time anatomic pathology services has grown as healthcare systems, traditionally found at large medical centers, expand into smaller communities. The placement of a pathologist is not cost-, time-, or resource-efficient. Telecytopathology can provide rapid offsite evaluation of cytology tissues. This study evaluated the accuracy rate of rendered preliminary assessments for telecytopathology of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) for an offsite facility by comparing preliminary assessment results with the final diagnosis. Materials and methods The pathology database was searched for telecytopathology US-guided FNAs with rapid offsite evaluation performed at a regional care center from August 2014 to June 2016. A total of 674 consecutive US-guided FNAs from 444 patients were obtained. FNA sites included lymph node (345 cases), breast (178 cases), thyroid gland (71 cases), and others (80 cases). Results Preliminary assessments of the 674 FNAs were adequate/benign in 275 (41%) cases, adequate/malignant in 182 (27%) cases, adequate/further review needed in 162 (24%) cases, indeterminate/borderline cellularity in 37 (5%) cases, and nondiagnostic in 18 (3%) cases. Final FNA diagnoses rendered included 391 (58%) negative for malignancy, 205 (30%) malignant, 34 (5%) atypical/suspicious for malignancy, 26 (4%) indeterminate cellularity–favor benign, and 18 (3%) nondiagnostic specimens. Concurrent core biopsy was performed in 42 cases and 83 cases were triaged for ancillary studies. The majority (99%) of US-guided FNAs demonstrated concordant preliminary assessments with the final diagnoses. A major discrepancy occurred in 1 case; 5 cases had minor discrepancies. Conclusions Remote facility telecytopathology can be utilized as an accurate modality in guiding appropriate tissue acquisition and final diagnosis.
AB - Introduction The need for real time anatomic pathology services has grown as healthcare systems, traditionally found at large medical centers, expand into smaller communities. The placement of a pathologist is not cost-, time-, or resource-efficient. Telecytopathology can provide rapid offsite evaluation of cytology tissues. This study evaluated the accuracy rate of rendered preliminary assessments for telecytopathology of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) for an offsite facility by comparing preliminary assessment results with the final diagnosis. Materials and methods The pathology database was searched for telecytopathology US-guided FNAs with rapid offsite evaluation performed at a regional care center from August 2014 to June 2016. A total of 674 consecutive US-guided FNAs from 444 patients were obtained. FNA sites included lymph node (345 cases), breast (178 cases), thyroid gland (71 cases), and others (80 cases). Results Preliminary assessments of the 674 FNAs were adequate/benign in 275 (41%) cases, adequate/malignant in 182 (27%) cases, adequate/further review needed in 162 (24%) cases, indeterminate/borderline cellularity in 37 (5%) cases, and nondiagnostic in 18 (3%) cases. Final FNA diagnoses rendered included 391 (58%) negative for malignancy, 205 (30%) malignant, 34 (5%) atypical/suspicious for malignancy, 26 (4%) indeterminate cellularity–favor benign, and 18 (3%) nondiagnostic specimens. Concurrent core biopsy was performed in 42 cases and 83 cases were triaged for ancillary studies. The majority (99%) of US-guided FNAs demonstrated concordant preliminary assessments with the final diagnoses. A major discrepancy occurred in 1 case; 5 cases had minor discrepancies. Conclusions Remote facility telecytopathology can be utilized as an accurate modality in guiding appropriate tissue acquisition and final diagnosis.
KW - Fine-needle aspiration
KW - Immediate assessment
KW - Rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE)
KW - Telecytology
KW - Telecytopathology
KW - Telepathology
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jasc.2017.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jasc.2017.10.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 31043247
AN - SCOPUS:85034094770
SN - 2213-2945
VL - 7
SP - 22
EP - 30
JO - Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology
JF - Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology
IS - 1
ER -