Observations on the surface area of the abnormal transformation zone associated with intraepithelial and early invasive squamous cell lesions of the cervix.
The apparent area of the abnormal transformation zone (TZ) of the cervix was measured in a total of 104 patients by a simple method with the use of the 1 and 5 mm. diameter circle in the center of the field of the Leisegang colposcope and the field of the colposcope itself. The visible area (mean +/- S.E.M.) of the abnormal TZ for five patients with microinvasive or occult carcinoma of the cervix (180.8 mm.2 +/- 62.2) was significantly larger (p less than 0.01) than that of 64 patients with major intraepithelial lesions (62.5 sq. mm.2 +/- 7.3) and 35 patients with minor intraepithelial lesions (45.8 sq. mm.2 +/- 11.7). The visible area of the abnormal TZ measured over 40 mm.2 in each of the five patients with invasive lesions but in only 42 of 99 (42%) patients with intraepithelial lesions. The TZ extended into the endocervical canal and could not be fully visualized in four (80%) of the patients with invasive lesions, 24 (38%) of patients with major intraepithelial lesions, and 11 (31%) of patients with minor intraepithelial lesions. The implications of these findings are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*