Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39206735›Full record

ArticleDiagnostic cytopathology2025

Viability of Whole-Slide Imaging for Intraoperative Touch Imprint Cytological Diagnosis of Axillary Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer Patients.

Fei Ren, Huange Li, Wentao Yang, Ying Chen, Yuwei Zheng, Hao Zhang, Shuling Zhou, Bo Ping, Peng Shi, Xiaochun Wan and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diagnostic cytopathology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Validation of Digital Cytology for Primary Diagnosis Across a Range of Specimen Types.Cytopathology : official journal of the British Society for Clinical Cytology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Fei RenDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Huange LiDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Wentao YangDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Ying ChenDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Yuwei ZhengDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Hao ZhangDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Shuling ZhouDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Bo PingDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Peng ShiPediatric Clinical Research Unit, Department of Research Management, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Xiaochun WanDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3801-6409
Yanli WangDepartment of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8619-2298

Funding

Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty shslczdzk01301Shanghai Science and Technology Development Fund 19MC1911000
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhole-slide imaging (WSI) is a promising tool in pathology. However, the use of WSI in cytopathology has lagged behind that in histology. We aimed to evaluate the utility of WSI for the intraoperative touch imprint cytological diagnosis of axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in breast cancer patients.

methodsGlass slides from touch imprint cytology of 480 axillary SLNs were scanned using two different WSI scanners. The intra- and interobserver concordance, accuracy, possible reasons for misdiagnosis, scanning time, and review time for three cytopathologists were compared between WSI and light microscopy (LM).

resultsA total of 4320 diagnoses were obtained. There was substantial to strong intraobserver concordance when comparing reads among paired LM slides and WSI digital slides (κ coefficient ranged from 0.63 to 0.88, and concordance rates ranged from 94.58% to 98.33%). Substantial to strong interobserver agreement was also observed among the three cytopathologists (κ coefficient ranged from 0.67 to 0.85, and concordance rates ranged from 95.42% to 97.92%). The accuracy of LM was slightly higher (average of 98.06%) than that of WSI (averages of 96.81% and 97.78%). The majority of misdiagnoses were false negative diagnoses due to the following top three causes: few cancer cells, confusing cancer cells with histiocytes, and confusing cancer cells with lymphocytes.

conclusionsThis study is the first to address the feasibility of WSI in touch imprint cytology. The use of WSI for intraoperative touch imprint cytological diagnosis of SLNs is a practical option when experienced staff are not available on-site.

Indexed as

AxillaBreast NeoplasmsSentinel Lymph NodeSentinel Lymph Node BiopsyAdultAgedCytodiagnosisFemaleHumansIntraoperative PeriodMicroscopyMiddle AgedObserver Variationbreast cancerconcordancesentinel lymph nodestouch imprint cytologywhole‐slide imaging

Identifiers

PMID39206735
PMCPMC11609341

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.