Abstract
Objective : We investigated the cytologic features of endometrial Liquid-Based Cytology (LBC).
Study Design : We investigated a total of 3440 smears prepared by the BD SurePathTM method. LBC smears examined included the proliferative phase of the endometrium and proliferative endometrial lesions including endometrioid adenocarcinomas.
Results : In general, the background of LBC smears was clear and there were scattered endometrial cells and sheet- or ground pipe-like clusters. Fiber-like clusters of endometrial stromal cells were present, but there were a few scattered stromal cells. In the case of atypical endometrial hyperplasia or more advanced lesions, cellular and/or nuclear atypia and abnormalities in cell polarity (“nuclear projection” image) were observed. No differences were observed among smears from clinics where different instruments were used for collecting endometrial cells.
Conclusions : In LBC endometrial smears, the glandular epithelium appeared as the background. When we could determine whether cell clusters were of epithelial or non-epithelial origin, we were able to establish the pathobiology of the lesion, if any. Our findings suggest that endometrial LBC might be useful in the cytological diagnosis of proliferative endometrial lesions.
