Exfoliative Cytology in Otolaryngology Using Sulfhydryl Activity, Acridine Orange and Morphologic Staining Procedures

Abstract

Exfoliative cytology has been tested in a selected series of 50 cases of malignant tumours in the ENT area. Wiping of the tumour surface with a cotton wool swab has proved the most suitable method of collecting samples. To demonstrate cell morphology the May-Griinwald-Giemsa and Papanicolaou staining procedures have been used and found equally reliable. The sulfhydryl (SH) activity was shown to be higher in malignant cells, which therefore can be recognized more easily and quickly than with morphological methods. With fluorescence microscopy using acridine orange certain malignant cells are visualized by a bright red fluorescence. The two cyto-chemical methods, and especially the SH technique, have proved a valuable complement to conventional staining procedures, but the final diagnosis must still depend on morphological criteria. Our investigation has clearly demonstrated that cytodiagnosis can be of material value for a rapid diagnosis and is a suitable tool in oto-rhino-laryngology.