Scanning electron microscopy in cytodiagnosis.

This paper is an account of the application of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to cytodiagnosis. We have investigated the diagnostic significance of SEM studies of cells derived from the uterine cervix, esophagus, stomach, bronchus, urinary bladder, pleural and peritoneal effusions and fine needle aspiration biopsy material. The occurrence of irregular, pleomorphic microvilli (MV) was found to be the most constant feature of cancer cells. Although SEM supplies additional morphologic data which, when used in conjunction with light microscopy, can assist in reaching the correct diagnosis in preselected cases, may contribute to the assessment of degree of tumor differentiation and may perhaps prove to be of value in screening patients at a higher risk for certain tumors, SEM is unlikely to be of value as a primary tool for cytologic diagnosis of cancer.