EVALUATION OF FROZEN SECTION IN URMIA UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES BY REVIEW OF THE SLIDES

Frozen section is a high- risk procedure with important consequences. As the
histopathologic diagnosis of the frozen section may have serious consequences for the treatment of the
patient, a high degree of accuracy is mandatory and quality control is important. The aim of this study
was the evaluation of accuracy of frozen section by revision of slides in teaching hospitals of Urmia
University of Medical Sciences including Imam Khomeini and Shahid Motahari hospitals.
Methods & Materials: In this cross sectional study, the slides of all frozen section samples in teaching
hospitals of Urmia University of Medical Sciences during 2003 to 2009 revised by two pathologists
and compared with their final permanent section diagnoses.
Results: A total of 155 neoplastic specimens in Imam Khomeini hospital and 83 neoplastic specimens
in Shahid Motahari hospital were studied. Sensitivity, Specificity, positive and negative predictive
values and accuracy in Iman Khomeini hospital were 95.6%, 100%, 100%, 96.5% and 96.7% and in
Shahid Motahari hospital 100%, 98%, 96.2% , 100% and 98.9% , respectively. We had 8 discordant
diagnoses, 3 cases (37.5%) were due to macroscopic discordance, 1 case (12.5%) of microscopic
discordance and 5 cases (62.5%)of both macroscopic and microscopic discordance.
Conclusion: As different studies showed accuracy of 91.5% to 97.4% for frozen section so we
concluded that frozen sections are interpreted with acceptable accuracy in Urmia University Of
Medical Sciences.