Cell yield. ThinPrep vs. cytocentrifuge.

Cell yields on cytologic preparations made in the Cytospin II cytocentrifuge and the ThinPrep Processor were compared. Slides were prepared by each method using calibrated volumes (25 microliters) of cell suspensions from 13 nongynecologic specimens. Cell counts for each slide were calculated by counting cells in predetermined fields using a gridded reticle at 40 x magnification, then extrapolating to the total surface area of the preparation. The cell counts demonstrated that when processing equal amounts of cell suspension, the ThinPrep method retained three times as many cells as the cytocentrifuge method. The ThinPrep method, with a higher rate of cell recovery, may provide a valuable tool toward more accurate cytologic diagnosis, particularly for cytologic samples with small numbers of cells.