Accuracy of intra-operative frozen section and its role in the diagnostic evaluation of ovarian tumors

Objective: This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy and role of intra-operative frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian tumors. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study of 804 ovarian frozen section results between June 2010 and June 2014 was examined to determine the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis. The intra-operative frozen section diagnosis was compared with the permanent (paraffin) section and the overall accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the frozen section were studied. Results: The overall accuracy to determine the status of malignancy was 92.6%. There were 38 (7.4%) false negative and no false positive frozen section diagnoses.The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive and negative predictive values for benign ovarian tumors were 100.0%, 97.0%, 91.3%, and 100.0%, respectively; for borderline tumors they were 64.3%, 97.0%, 91.5%, and 94.0%, respectively, and for malignant tumors they were 90.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, and 85.5%, respectively. Conclusion: This study concluded that frozen section appears to be an adequate technique for the histopathological diagnosis of ovarian tumors, with some limitations observed among borderline and mucinous tumors.

Intra-operative frozen section; Permanent (paraffin) section; Ovarian tumors.

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