الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Tzanck smear had been used for many years in the diagnosis of many skin diseases. In this study, sixty five patients were examined and diagnosed clinically, cytologically and histopathologically (in some cases). They were catigorized into 3 groups: viral infections ,bullous dermatoses and skin tumors. Viral infections included: herpes zoster, herpes simplex, varicella and molluscum contagiosum. Bullous dermatoses included: pemphigus vulgaris and some of its varients and bullous pemphigoid. Skin tumors included: basal and squamous cell carcinomas. The cytological smears were taken from different lesions by different methods. The results of cytological smears in viral group was diagnostic to the group of vesicular viral dermatoses as a whole. Cytodiagnosis in molluscum contagiosum was accurate. In bullous group, cytological diagnosis was more useful and diagnostic in pemphigus vulgaris. In skin tumors, smear results were quite encourging in basal cell carcinoma whereas, it was not enough to reach final diagnosis in squamous cell carcinoma. Clinicopathological correlation was helpful. Smears done by direct scraping were the most representative. Vesicular and ulcerated lesions were the best sites for smearing.