• 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 63  (3) , 295-302
Abstract
The endometrium was sampled in the office with the Endocyte, a disposable plastic brush. Its clinical characteristics and diagnostic yield with respect to cytology and histology were assessed. Of the 200 women sampled, 188 were 46 yr and older, and 65.5% of them were asymptomatic but at risk for corpus carcinoma. In every case, brushing was controlled by subsequent biopsy. Brushing was safe, fast and simple. Patient acceptance for future tests with Endocyte was 100%, compared to 40% with biopsy. Satisfactory samples for cytologic diagnosis were obtained in 92% of the patients with brushing and in 90% with biopsy-obtained histology. Endocyte cytology confirmed biopsy-proved hyperplasia (36 cases) and carcinoma (2 cases) in 80.5 and 100% of the cases, respectively; 19.5% of hyperplasias were underdiagnosed as normal endometrium. No false-positive diagnosis was made. Of mini-biopsies with the Endocyte, 50% were unsatisfactory for diagnosis. Provided endometrial cytologic expertise is available, the Endocyte is useful for screening asymptomatic women at risk for endometrial carcinoma and its precursors.