Distribution of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia across the cervix is random.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to assess the validity of an assumption that histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions are not randomly distributed across the cervix.


METHODS
This retrospective study included 359 women ranging in age from 17-81 years (mean +/- SD, 34.4 +/- 12.1 years) who underwent colposcopically directed cervical biopsy. Data were examined to determine the distribution of histologic diagnosis across the cervix. The study had 80% power to detect a true, relative by-location difference.


RESULTS
Two hundred ninety (80.8%) women were classified as nondysplastic, whereas 69 (19.2%) were classified as dysplastic (CIN1, or CIN2, or CIN3). The most common location for biopsy was the 11 o'clock position (22%), whereas the least common location was the 10 o'clock position (0.8%). The most common location for dysplastic as well as nondysplastic lesion was the 11 o'clock position. No association was found between types of histologic lesion on colposcopically directed biopsy and location of lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to previous assumptions, histologically confirmed CIN lesions are randomly distributed across the cervix site.
Lurie
Samuel
S
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
Eliaz
Miri
M
Boaz
Mona
M
Levy
Tally
T
Golan
Abraham
A
Sadan
Oscar
O
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003127:Colposcopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology*