Flow and image cytometric DNA measurements in fine needle aspiration samples of prostatic neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the DNA content measured by flow cytometry (FCM) and image analysis (IA) from prostatic fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples.

STUDY DESIGN

A total of 48 samples were studied. FCM was performed on propidium iodide-stained nuclei according to the Vindelov method, and image analysis was performed on Feulgen-stained slides. Positive FNA results were grade (1-3) and compared with Gleason grades.

RESULTS

Aneuploidy was closely related to positive FNA results (P < .01). DNA histograms were found to be aneuploid in all grade 3 carcinomas (n = 13) by IA and in 11 cases (84.6%) by FCM. Grade 2 carcinomas (n = 9) were found to be aneuploid with both methods. In grade 1 carcinomas (n = 10), 2 cases exhibited IA aneuploid profiles, whereas all FCM cases were diploid. Aneuploid profiles were more often associated with high Gleason scores than were diploid ones (P < .01). Among the 16 patients with negative FNA results, two cases had tetraploid DNA profiles related to contaminating seminal vesicle cells. The difference in DNA measurements reached 10.4% but was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

These findings show that the two methods, as applied to prostatic FNA samples, give comparable results and that seminal vesicle cells may be responsible for false tetraploid profiles.