CYTOHISTOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF UTERINE JET WASH PREPARATIONS

Abstract

To determine the efficacy of the uterine jet washing technique (Gravlee 1964) in endometrial cancer testing the Cytology Laboratory at Pittsburghs Magee-Womens Hospital analyzed the results of 230 washings obtained from 211 patients from May 1971 to March 1973. Average patient age was 46 years. In 125 cases a corresponding histologic specimen was available (through endometrial biopsy hysterectomy or dilatation and carettage) as a correlative sample. The uterine jet washings were evaluated in concentrated monolayers indirect smears and cell block preparations. Histologic diagnoses were possible in 150 of 230 cases (65.2%) cytologic diagnoses only were possible in 72 cases (31.3%) and 8 specimens were unsatisfactory (3.5%). 125 jet washing diagnoses were consistent with correlated surgical specimen interpretations and no false positive diagnoses were made. Data suggest that the endometrial jet washing technique is a reliable diagnostic office procedure which could prove superior to endometrial biopsy because in addition to obtaining microbiopsies it can recover desquamated fragments and cellular samples from the endometrial cavity. The technique is neither a routine procedure nor a replacement for the conventional cervical and vaginal smear method for mass screening of asymptomatic patients but serves as a valuable aid to better detection of suspected endometrial lesions and can provide a means for follow-up observation of a treated or untreated lesion when dilatation and curettage is undesirable.