-Abstract-
Pancreaticobiliary tract strictures are frequent indications for endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatography(ERCP). We have investigated the brushing cytology in order to
determine its efficacy for diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary malignancies. Brushing cytology
during ERCP was evaluated in 56 patients with biliary tract stricture presenting to the
Catholic Hospital of Taegu-Hyosung from April 1997 to August 1999. A comparison was
made between the cytologic and histologic diagnoses on 32 cases from 30 patients. A
diagnosis of malignancy was establishied in 78.1%, benign in 15.6%, and inadequate in
6.3 of the cases. Statistical data on cytologic diagnoses in strictures of the bile duct
were as follows; specificity and sensitivity of brushing procedure was 100% & 83.3%,
respectively: sensitivity of interpretation was 89.3%: with no false positive cases and 3
false negative cases: predictive value for malignancy was 100% & 100%, respectively:
predictive value for benign was 28.6% & 40%, respectively: overall diagnostic efficiency
was 84.4%. It is concluded that brush cytology is a diagnostically reliable, highly
specific technique for malignant lesions encounted at ERCP, although a negative result
does not rule out the diagnosis of malignacy.
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