Comparison of ploidy analysis by flow cytometry and image analysis in hydatidiform mole and non-molar abortion

Determination of DNA ploidy is useful in the diagnosis and classification of hydatidiform mole. Most reports of ploidy analysis in molar tissue have used DNA flow cytometry. Although image analysis cytometry offers theoretical advantages over flow cytometry, there have been few reports of ploidy analysis by image analysis in hydatidiform mole. We selected 47 cases and measured DNA ploidy by flow cytometry and image analysis cytometry in complete hydatidiform mole, partial hydatidiform mole and non-molar abortion. The two cytometry modalities were compared using kappa statistics. There was reasonable overall agreement between the two modalities (kappa = 0.69) and when ploidy was stratified into diploid/polyploid and triploid categories there was near perfect agreement (kappa = 0.93). Aneuploid cell populations, which were not evident on flow cytometry, were identified by image analysis in a significant proportion of complete and partial hydatidiform moles and in a small number of non-molar abortions. Flow cytometry and image analysis cytometry yield comparable ploidy information, useful in the diagnosis and classification of hydatidiform mole. Image analysis cytometry offers greater sensitivity in the detection of small non-diploid cell populations but the significance of this latter finding is uncertain.