Diagnosis value of epithelial membrane antigen immunocytochemistry examination in meningeal carcinomatosis

Objective To assess the diagnosis value of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) immunocytochemistry examination in meningeal carcinomatosis.Methods The routine cerebrospinal fluid cytologic examination and EMA immunocytochemistry examination of 23 cerebrospinal fluid specimens from 14 patients with definitive meningeal carcinomatosis were analyzed,retrospectively.Results The positive rate of routine cerebrospinal fluid cytologic examination and EMA immunocytochemistry examination were 39.13%(9/23)and 86.96%(20/23),respectively. There was a significant difference between two results ( P0.01). The two positive rates were 28.57% (4/14) and 78.57%(11/14)in the first cerebrospinal fluid specimens,there was also a significant difference between the results ( P0.05). Conclusion The sensitivity of EMA immunocytochemistry examination is superior to routine cerebrospinal fluid cytologic examination in the diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis.