Table 3.
Number of cases with diagnostic and nondiagnostic effusions based on cytology stratified by effusion hematocrit (HCT) (<10% or ≥10%) and whether or not a mass was present on echocardiogram
| Nondiagnostic Effusions (n) | Diagnostic Effusions (n) | Diagnostic Utility (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All cases (n = 254) | 7.7 | ||
| HCT ≥10% | 165 | 4 | 2.4 |
| HCT <10% | 63 | 16 | 20.3a |
| No echocardiographic mass (n = 108) | 8.9 | ||
| HCT ≥10% | 73 | 3 | 3.9 |
| HCT <10% | 25 | 7 | 21.8a |
| Suspicious/definite echocardiographic mass (n = 141) | 6.4 | ||
| HCT ≥10% | 96 | 2 | 2.0 |
| HCT <10% | 36 | 7 | 16.3a |
a
Indicates a difference in diagnostic utility between effusion HCT groups P < .005.