Cytological investigation of sentinel nodes is performed by means of peri-operative imprints or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples. Neither of the techniques is new. Indeed, imprint cytology is one of the oldest methods in cytopathology and is probably underutilised at present [1, 2]. Its decline is thought to be associated with the rise of FNA cytology. FNA cytology has wider applications. FNA samples can be taken pre-operatively from multiple sites. Intra-operatively, both imprint and FNA preparations from fresh (unfixed) lymph nodes serve to provide diagnostic information before the permanent tissue sections are available [3]. The imprint method has proven useful in the intra-operative staging of lymphadenopathy and has been used as an alternative to frozen section [4–6].