いわゆる慢性リンパ球性頸管炎の細胞学的研究

抄録

An increasing attention has recently been paid to large lymphocytes which appear in cervical smears in case of certain types of chronic cervicitis, because of its benign condition that is reque sted to distinguish from some rare lesions such as leukemic infiltration and malignant lymphoma of the uterine cervix. A systemic, cytological study of 4, 253 cases was performed, and the following results were obtained:
1. A great number of large lymphocytes were found in the smears in 34 cases (0.8%).
2. A histopathological examination of the uterine cervix is performed in 18 out of 34 cases. All showed the feature consistent with that of chroniclymphocytic cervicitis. Lymphoid follicles were found in 2 cases.
3. Characteristic cytological features, helpful for the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic cervicitis, were as follows:
(1) The cells, large lymphocytes, have scant cytoplasm and oval nuclei with thin nuclear rims, a fine chromatin network and often one or two nucleoli.
(2) Large and small lymphocytes were inter mingled with each other, forming large or small clusters or in a diffuse fashion in the smears.
(3) Large lymphocytes, small lymphocytes and polymorphonuclears constituted almost over 90% in the cytogram. Percentage of small lymphocytes predominated that of large lymphocytes which is always less than 40%.
(4) Large reticulum cells phagocytosing various granules were often encountered.
(5) Appearance of large lymphocytes in the cervical smears was not constant, even when the smears were taken from the same patient at the same time. In addition, the cells were often decreased in number or disappeared in the smears taken from the same case on the lollowing days.
4. Age of patients of chronic lymphocytic cervicitis ranged from 31 to 78. Many were in post-menopausal period.