title: The accuracy of endometrial Pipelle sampling with and without sonographic measurement of endometrial thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the accuracy of Pipelle endometrial sampling with and without sonographic measurement of endometrial thickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied prospectively 176 consecutive patients (23% after and 77% before menopause) scheduled for D&C. Sonographic measurement of the endometrium and endometrial biopsy with the Pipelle were performed before the curettage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 159 cases (90%), the endometrial histologic results of curettage agreed with those of the Pipelle biopsy. All three cases of endometrial cancer were identified by Pipelle aspiration. In seven cases (4%), the Pipelle aspiration failed to detect hyperplasia. Sonographic endometrial thickness of more than 5 mm slightly increased the sensitivity and slightly decreased the specificity of Pipelle aspiration from 82 to 92% and from 99 to 96%, respectively. In postmenopausal patients admitted for bleeding, the sensitivity and specificity reached 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that normal Pipelle aspirates in premenopausal patients with abnormal uterine bleeding are highly accurate. In postmenopausal patients with sonographic endometrial thickness of 5 mm or less, the accuracy reached 100%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaplan Hospital, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldchmit
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blickstein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dgani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography