Rapid cytologic examination of surgical specimens: a valuable technique in the surgical pathology laboratory.

Rapid cytologic examination of resected tissue has been shown to be a useful adjunct to the use of frozen sections, as well as an efficient method for learning to interpret clinical fine-needle aspirates. Cytologic preparations afford better cytologic detail and sampling capability than frozen sections, and use of the two procedures together is advocated. Methods are described, diagnostic criteria for selected tissues are reviewed, and specific examples of the usefulness of imprints with examples of diagnostic problems are presented.