Exfoliative cytopathologic studies in organ transplantation. V. The diagnosis of rejection in the immediate postoperative period.

This study shows that the cytologic profile of rejecting and non-rejecting patients in the immediate post-transplantation period can be distinguished. The presence of activated lymphocytes is the most important single feature of rejection, but may not be present in all cases of rejection. For this reason the use of a cytologic profile including a dirty background, red blood cells, lymphocytes, tubular cells, and nuclear changes in epithelial cells is recommended.