Objective: To assess the diagnostic criteria for grade 1 papillary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in cystoscopically obtained urine.
Study design: We compared the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of cytologic, architectural and morphometric (primarily architectural) criteria in 177 specimens with corresponding biopsy follow-up.
Results: Sensitivities ranged from 22% to 44%, specificities from 69% to 85% and positive predictive values from 59% to 66%.
Conclusion: The currently described cytologic, architectural and morphometric criteria are inadequate for the identification of grade 1 papillary TCC, and the cytologic diagnosis of grade 1 papillary TCC in cystoscopically obtained urine remains unreliable.