Clinical application of cytology in pediatrics.

Cytopathology has been a standard diagnostic tool in medicine for the past seven decades. Recent advancements in collection and processing techniques as well as improved methods of examination continue to expand the number of clinical situations in which cytology is useful. Pediatricians should be aware of the wide variety of applications of cytology to pediatrics. In general it is a rapid, inexpensive test and in many cases can provide a definitive diagnosis.