ESOPHAGEAL DYSPLASIA - ASSESSMENT BY LIGHT-MICROSCOPY AND SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 86  (1) , 39-50
Abstract
The characteristics of esophageal dysplasia were investigated by scanning electron microscopy [SEM]. A total of 82 esophageal biopsy specimens were taken from 30 patients who were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 patients had no known esophageal disease. Group 2 patients had squamous cell cancer. Group 3 patients had esophagitis. Mucosal biopsy specimens that had been diagnosed by light microscopy as normal, esophagitis or dysplastic mucosa were examined by SEM. A characteristic appearance for each type of mucosa was recognized by SEM. A quantitative analysis of the SEM feature of microridge density showed a statistically significant difference not only between normal and dysplastic mucosa, but also between esophagitis and dysplastic mucosa. The addition of SEM to light microscopy may prove helpful in the diagnosis of dysplasia as well as in the understanding of the biologic behavior of dysplastic cells and possibly their relationship to esophageal carcinoma.