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Published on: June 14, 2019
Correlation discrepancies between high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and high-grade cervical intraepithelial
Ming Zhang1, Michael Carrozza, Yajue Huang
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., USA.
Objective:
Previous studies have demonstrated diagnostic discrepancies for the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3) from previously confirmed cytological high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). The goal of this study is to investigate the possible factors which may be responsible for this diagnostic discrepancy.
Study Design:
The study included all the cytological specimens diagnosed with a HSIL by the Papanicolaou (Pap) test at Temple University Hospital (2000-2010) as well as timely follow-up cervical biopsies. The biopsy tissue types and diagnoses were subsequently categorized and analyzed.
Results:
Of the total 842 Pap tests with HSIL diagnosis, 96 cases (11.4%) showed non-CIN 2/3 in follow-up cervical biopsies. Among those cases, the most common biopsy diagnoses were cervicitis (27.9%) and CIN 1 (25%). Endocervical curettage (ECC) samples showed a high percentage of inadequacy for diagnosis (43.7%). Thirty-seven cases had subsequent follow-up biopsy, and CIN 2/3 was found in 15 cases. However, none of the CIN 2/3 cases was detected by ECC sampling.
Conclusions:
Our study indicated that the discrepant correlation between HSIL and CIN 2/3 was most likely due to tissue sampling issues during colposcopic examination. The diagnostic value of ECC remains poor for the detection and grading of cervical intraepithelial dysplasia.

