Ultrastructural diagnosis in gynaecological pathology

This chapter presents a brief description and discussion of some of the most representative examples of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions of the female genital system, in which electron microscopy and ultrastructural analysis may play a significant diagnostic role. The contribution of ultrastructural data in the accurate diagnosis of ovarian neoplasms, particularly the less differentiated ones, is evident and would eventually ensure the proper management of the patients. Similar considerations are explored in the analysis of fine structural studies for the differential diagnosis of lesions of the uterus, vagina and vulva, not only neoplastic but also pseudo-tumoral and inflammatory. In conclusion, electron microscopy represents a very important resource in the modern armamentarium of techniques and approaches available to the general surgical pathologist and the gynaecological pathologist for the diagnostic study of lesions of the female genital system.