Abstract
Objective: This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic results obtained with thinlayer specimens and conventional specimens and to clarify the endometrial cytology characteristics of thinlayer specimens.
Study Design: Endometrial cytology and biopsy were performed on the same day on 96 patients. The same criteria were used to assess the thinlayer specimens as the conventional specimens. Sensitivity, specificity, number of cells obtained, screening time, and cytological findings obtained by the two methods were compared.
Results: The histological diagnosis was normal/benign in 47 patients, endometrial hyperplasia in 21, atypical hyperplasia in 5, and malignant tumor in 23. Cytodiagnosis of the conventional specimens was negative in 58, suspicious in 13, and positive in 25, as opposed to 49, 29, and 18, respectively, for the thinlayer specimens. The sensitivity of diagnosis of the conventional specimens and thinlayer specimens was 87.0% and 73.9%, respectively, and specificity was 89.4% and 70.2%, respectively. Neither of the differences between the methods was significant. There was less piling up of endometrial cells, RBCs, and WBCs in the conventional specimens than in the thinlayer specimens. Screening time was significantly shortened by using the thinlayer specimens. The cytological findings in the thinlayer specimens were different from those in the conventional specimens.
Conclusion: Although there were no significant differences between the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the conventional method and thinlayer method after the characteristics of the thinlayer method have been thoroughly understood, it will be possible to apply it to endometrial cytology clinically.
Based on the characteristics of the thinlayer specimens described in this paper, the method is capable of being applied clinically.
