The Korean Journal of Cytopathology (대한세포병리학회지)

The Korean Society for Cytopathology (대한세포병리학회)
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Exfoliation of Endometrial Cells on Cervicovaginal Smears

자궁경부 질 세포검사에서 관찰되는 자궁내막세포의 의의

  • Kang, Mi-Seon (Department of Anatomical Pathology, Pusan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University) ;
  • Yoon, Hye-Kyoung (Department of Anatomical Pathology, Pusan Paik Hospital, College of Medicine, Inje University)
  • 강미선 (인제대학교 의과대학 부산백병원 해부병리과) ;
  • 윤혜경 (인제대학교 의과대학 부산백병원 해부병리과)
  • Published : 2002.06.30
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Abstract

The significance of endometrial cells on cervicovaginal smears is underestimated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the detection rate of endometrial cells on cervicovaginal smears. The materials consisted of two groups. Group I was 701 cervicovaginal smears from patients with no gynecological problems. Group II was 208 cervicovaginal smears from patients with abnormal uterine bleeding followed by endometrial curettage; 31 cases of endometrial adenocarclnoma(CA), 19 cases of endometrial hyperplasia(HP), 83 cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding(DUB), and 75 cases of normal endometrium. Cervicovaginal smears were reviewed according to the criteria of The Bethesda System. Endometrial cells were identified in 15 of 701 cases(2.1%) in group I and 64 of 208 cases(30.8%) in group II. Among group II, detection rate of endometrial cells was the highest in CA (51.6%) compared to HP(26.3%), DUB(41.0%), and normal endometrium(12.0%) (p<0.05). Cytologic atypia of endometrial cells was not found In group I, but was more frequently identified in CA(87.5%) than in HP(10.5%) or DUB(14.7%) (p<0.05). Exfollatlon of endometrial cells might be related to abnormal endometrial lesion, and reporting of endometrial cells in the cervicovaginal smear may increase a chance to detect endometrial lesions especially in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Keywords

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