Abdominopelvic Washings

Morphologic evaluation and appropriate characterization of neoplastic cells in peritoneal and pelvic fluids are important in the staging of patients with ovarian neoplasms. Peritoneal and/or pelvic washing specimens are submitted routinely for cytologic evaluation as part of the staging protocol for gynecologic tract and other abdominal cancers. Both benign conditions as well as malignant cells from a locally invasive tumor or a distant primary site can be observed in abdominopelvic washings (APW). Morphologic evaluation and appropriate characterization of neoplastic cells in peritoneal and pelvic fluids are important in the staging of patients with ovarian neoplasms. Accurate pathologic evaluation and staging of the extent of the disease is important to determine the necessity for further therapy. One study highlighted the diagnostic problems encountered on cytologic evaluation as differentiating reactive mesothelial cells from low-grade malignancies, distinguishing between benign ovarian tumors, ovarian tumors of borderline malignancy, and low-grade ovarian malignancies; and potential false-positive diagnoses in endometriosis and endosalpingiosis. Another study included mesothelial cell hyperplasia, collagen balls, endometriosis, and endosalpingiosis as the most serious diagnostic pitfalls on peritoneal washing cytology in women who present with gynecologic lesions. Similar content being viewed by others Selected Reading Cheng L, Wolf NG, Rose PG, Rodriguez M, Abdul-Karim FW. Peritoneal washing cytology of ovarian tumors of low malignant potential: correlation with surface ovarian involvement and peritoneal implants. Acta Cytol. 1998;42(5):1091–4. Covell JL, Carry JB, Feldman PS. Peritoneal washings in ovarian tumors. Potential sources of error in cytologic diagnosis. Acta Cytol. 1985;29(3):310–6. Mulvany N. Cytohistologic correlation in malignant peritoneal washings. Analysis of 75 malignant fluids. Acta Cytol. 1996;40(6):1231–9. Ravinsky E. Cytology of peritoneal washings in gynecologic patients. Diagnostic criteria and pitfalls. Acta Cytol. 1986;30(1):8–16. Sadeghi S, Ylagan LR. Pelvic washing cytology in serous borderline tumors of the ovary using ThinPrep: are there cytologic clues to detecting tumor cells? Diagn Cytopathol. 2004;30(5):313–9. Selvaggi SM. Diagnostic pitfalls of peritoneal washing cytology and the role of cell blocks in their diagnosis. Diagn Cytopathol. 2003;28(6):335–41. Sneige N, Fanning CV. Peritoneal washing cytology in women: diagnostic pitfalls and clues for correct diagnosis. Diagn Cytopathol. 1992;8(6):632–40. Stowell SB, Wiley CM, Perez-Reyes N, Powers CN. Cytologic diagnosis of peritoneal fluids. Applicability to the laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis. Acta Cytol. 1997;41(3):817–22. Ziselman EM, Harkavy SE, Hogan M, West W, Atkinson B. Peritoneal washing cytology. Uses and diagnostic criteria in gynecologic neoplasms. Acta Cytol. 1984;28(2):105–10. Zuna RE, Mitchell ML, Mulick KA, Weijchert WM. Cytohistologic correlation of peritoneal washing cytology in gynecologic disease. Acta Cytol. 1989;33(3):327–36. Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Rights and permissions Copyright information © 2012 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC About this chapter Cite this chapter Ali, S.Z., Cibas, E.S. (2012). Abdominopelvic Washings. In: Serous Cavity Fluid and Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytopathology. Essentials in Cytopathology, vol 11. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1776-7_7 Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1776-7_7 Published: Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-1775-0 Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-1776-7 eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.