Endometrium
The endometrium is typically biopsied because of abnormal bleeding. Endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma are dealt with in separate articles. An overview of gynecologic pathology is in the gynecologic pathology article.
Indications for endometrial biopsy
Biopsies done for bleeding:
- Too much bleeding (if premenopausal) - AUB = abnormal uterine bleeding.
- Post-menopausal bleeding.
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding AKA DUB - may get D&C if they fail medical management.[1]
- DUB is diagnosed if other causes of bleeding are excluded.
Normal microscopic findings
Endometrium - consists of:
- Epithelium (endometrial glands).
- Stroma (endometrial stroma).
In endometrial biopsies:
- Endocervical glands are commonly seen, as is endocervical mucous.
- This is 'cause the gynecologist scrapes some off on the way in or out.
Endocervical glands vs. Endometrial glands
Endocervical
- Less hyperchromatic.
- Nuclei round & small.
- Cell borders usually well-defined.
Endometrial
- More hyperchromatic.
- Nuclei columnar.
Tamoxifen effects
- Endometrial hyperplasia.
- Endometrial cancer.
- Endometrial polyps.
- Atrophy.
Inadequate endometrial biopsy
- Endometrial biopsies often have scant tissue.
- This is normal in post-menopausal women.
- To be adequate the biopsy must have some endometrial stroma, as it is otherwise not possible to assess the gland-to-stroma ratio.
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ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - FRAGMENTS OF DETACHED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM, ENDOCERVICAL EPITHELIUM AND FOCALLY PROLIFERATIVE ENDOMETRIAL GLANDS. - ASSESSMENT LIMITED AS NO DEFINITE ENDOMETRIAL STROMA IS PRESENT.
ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - FRAGMENTS OF DETACHED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM AND DETACHED NON-PROLIFERATIVE ENDOMETRIAL GLANDS. - ASSESSMENT LIMITED AS VERY SCANT ENDOMETRIAL STROMA IS PRESENT.
A simple approach
Low power
- Decide whether you're look at endometrium.
- Gland-to-stroma ratio normal?
- 1:3 is normal.
- If gland-to-stroma ratio is increased... think endometrial hyperplasia.
- If glands are fused to one another or cribriform... think endometrial carcinoma.
- Glands round?
- Round is normal.
- Irregular - may be seen in menses, endometrial hyperplasia, disordered proliferative endometrium.
- Glands pseudostratified?
- Pseudostratified glands are normal in the proliferative phase, hyperplasias, malignancy.
- Balls of cells?
- Blue - likely menstrual (stromal condensation).
- Pink - consider leiomyoma, squamous morules (associated with endometrial hyperplasia).
High power
- Mitoses present in the glands?
- Present in the proliferative phase, hyperplasias, malignancies.
- Mitoses present in the stroma?
- Present in the proliferative phase, hyperplasias, malignancies.
- Mucous present in the glands?
- Present in the secretory phase.
- Inflammatory cells present?
- Some are normal during menses.
Normal endometrium
Proliferative phase endometrium
- Abbreviated PPE.
General
- Day 1-13 in the protypical menstrual cycle of 28 days.
- May be day 5-13 - if the menstruation is not included.
- "Exodus" pattern is a term used to describe exfoliation of endometrial cells during the proliferative phase.
- On pap tests this is associated with the classic double contoured balls of endometrial epithelium and stroma.
Note:
- Proliferative phase = follicular phase.
- Gynecologists prefer the ovarian descriptor, i.e. follicular phase; pathologists go by what they see, i.e. proliferative endometrium.
- When the patient is >40 years, some advocate the use of the term proliferative type endometrium (instead of the term proliferative endometrium).[2]
Microscopic
Features:[3]
- Glands:
- Straight, tubular, composed of tall pseudostratified columnar cells - key feature.
- Mitotic figures - key feature. †
- Stroma:
- Cellular stroma (spindle cells).
- Mitoses.
- Usually harder to find than in the glands.
Notes:
- † McCluggage says one shouldn't call PPE without mitoses, as some pseudostratification can be seen in atrophic endometrium.[3]
- There is no guidance on how hard one should look. VL suggests searching ~ 10 mm^2 with the 20x objective. This represents approximately ~ 10 fields of view with a microscope that has a 22 mm eye piece.
- Significant negatives:
- No vacuolation.
- No mucus secretion.
DDx:
Images:
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ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - PROLIFERATIVE PHASE ENDOMETRIUM.
Not quite normal
ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - EARLY SECRETORY PHASE ENDOMETRIUM. - FOCUS OF CROWDED PROLIFERATIVE GLANDS, SEE COMMENT. COMMENT: There is a small focus of crowded and irregular proliferative glands without cytologic atypia. The possibility of a polyp is considered but the vessels and polyp-type stroma are lacking. Suggest clincal follow up with a consideration of a repeat biopsy in 3 to 6 months to rule out a hyperplastic lesion.
Secretory phase endometrium
- Abbreviated SPE.
Microscopic
- Early secretory phase - post-ovulatory day 1-5:
- Glands: secretory vacuoles.
- First basal to the epithelial nuclei (infranuclear vacuoles).
- Then apical to the epithelial nuclei (supranuclear vacuoles).
- Glands: secretory vacuoles.
- Mid secretory phase - post-ovulatory day 6-8:
- Glands: Mucus in glands.
- Stroma: Edema (empty space around the glands).
- Late secretory phase (beginning) - post-ovulatory day 9-12:
- Stroma:
- Spiral arterioles.
- Predecidual changes -- mnemonic NEW:
- Nucleus central.
- Eosinophilic cytoplasm key feature (may be subtle to the novice).
- Well-defined cell borders.
- Stroma:
- Premenstrual:
- Stroma: neutrophils, scattered lymphocytes, stromal balls ("blue balls"); "stromal condensation" (Image: Endometrial stromal condensation (WC)).
- Glands: apoptosis at the base of the gland.[5]
Notes:
- Secretory phase = luteal phase.
- Gynecologists prefer the ovarian descriptor, i.e. luteal phase; pathologists go by what they see, i.e. Secretions in the (endometrial) glands.
- Stromal condensation (stromal balls) - premenstrual - stromal cells tightly packed together; nuclei molded together like in small cell tumours.[8]
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ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - SECRETORY PHASE ENDOMETRIUM.
Specific entities/abnormalities
Arias-Stella reaction
Main article: Arias-Stella reaction
- Benign atypical endometrial changes associated with chorionic tissue -- may be seen in a completely normal pregnancy and misdiagnosed as a malignancy.[9]
Endometritis
General
- Usually post-delivery or post-instrumentation, e.g. previous biopsy.
- May be spontaneous, e.g. tuberculous endometritis.
Microscopic
Acute endometritis
Features:
- Neutrophils clusters (>5 PMNs) in the:
- Endometrial stroma.
- Within uterine glands.
Notes:
- Neutrophils are normal in the context of menses.
Image:
Chronic endometritis
Features:[10]
- Plasma cells with in the endometrial stroma - key feature.
- Usually superficial/close to the luminal aspect.
- Lymphocytic infiltrate - usu. marked.
- May form lymphoid aggregates - low power finding.
Other findings:[10]
- +/-Necrosis.
- Edema - common.
- Hemorrhage.
Notes:
- One plasma cell is not enough to call it.
DDx:
- Endometrial stromal condensation.
Images:
- WC:
- www:
Benign endometrial polyp
- AKA endometrial polyp.
General
- Very common.
- May be a cause of menorrhagia (heavy & long menses).
Microscopic
Features:[11]
- Large blood vessels (muscular) - key feature.
- Fibrotic stroma - key feature.
- Polypoid shape - epithelium on three sides.
- May not be seen... as polyp is fragmented on removal.
Notes:
- Apparently benign polyps should be examined closely at the surface for in situ & invasive malignancies.
- Endometrial glands may be out of phase with surrounding endometrium.
- Often proliferative.
- +/-Cystic dilation of glands.
- Cellular stroma.
Other considerations - DDx:
- Adenofibroma.
- Cervical polyp.
- Pedunculated leiomyoma.
- Secretory phase endometrium.
Disordered proliferative endometrium
- Abbreviated DPE.
- AKA endometrium with disordered proliferative phase.
- AKA disordered proliferative phase.
General
- Association: anovulation.
- Benign - can be grouped with normal.[12]
Microscopic
Features:[13]
- Proliferative type endometrium with:
- Cystic dilation of glands without secretions.
- +/-Stromal condensation -- balls of stromal tissue, aka "blue balls" (due to breakdown of endometrium).
DDx:
- Simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia - architectural atypia diffuse.
Notes:
- Proliferative phase endometrium:
- Glands: straight, tubular, tall pseudostratified columnar cells, mitotic figures, NO vacuolation, NO mucus secretion, abundant mitoses.
- Stroma: cellular, stroma (spindle cells), mitoses.
- Eosinophilic syncytial metaplasia - common.
- Features: abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, mild nuclear atypia +/-loss of nuclear stratification, no mitoses).
Image:
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ENDOMETRIUM, BIOPSY: - DISORDERED PROLIFERATIVE ENDOMETRIUM.
Endometrial changes of oral contraception
Main article: Oral contraceptive pill
- AKA oral contraceptive effect.
General
- Very common.
- Most pills a mix of progesterone and estrogen.
- The progesterone is what generates the characteristic appearance -- that is similar to pregnancy.
Microscopic
Features:[14]
- Inactive glands (round/ovoid glands, simple cuboidal epithelium, no mitoses).
- Stroma decidualized -- mnemonic NEW:
- Nucleus central.
- Eosinophilic cytoplasm.
- Well-defined cell borders.
Image:
Atrophic endometrium
General
- Endometrium of normal postmenopausal women.
- Menopause typically happens at around 50 years old.
- Very common diagnosis.
- Atrophy may be associated with bleeding and therefore biopsied to rule-out hyperplasia and malignancy.
Microscopic
Features:
- Glands:
- No mitoses/very few mitoses.
- +/-Nuclear pseudostratification.
- Cystic dilation.
- Thin endometrium.
Notes:
- If a woman is truly postmenopausal, mitoses in the glandular epithelium is pathologic until demonstrated otherwise.
- The exception is inflammation... e.g. the person has had several biopsy attempts and was seeded with pathogens.
DDx:
- Proliferative phase endometrium - esp. if there is pseudostratification.
- Serous carcinoma of the endometrium.
Endometrial hyperplasia
Main article: Endometrial hyperplasia
Can be thought of as a precursor lesion for endometrial carcinoma.
It comes in two main flavours:
- Simple.
- Complex.
Each flavour may or may not have nuclear atypia.
Endometrial carcinoma
Main article: Endometrial carcinoma
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy (in the USA).[15]
See also
References
- ↑ URL: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/257007-treatment. Accessed on: 15 July 2010.
- ↑ GAG. January 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 McCluggage, WG. (Aug 2006). "My approach to the interpretation of endometrial biopsies and curettings.". J Clin Pathol 59 (8): 801-12. doi:10.1136/jcp.2005.029702. PMID 16873562.
- ↑ URL: http://www.cytochemistry.net/microanatomy/medical_lectures/oviduct_and_uterus.htm. Accessed on: 23 October 2012.
- ↑ TC. 22 June 2009.
- ↑ Cotran, Ramzi S.; Kumar, Vinay; Fausto, Nelson; Nelso Fausto; Robbins, Stanley L.; Abbas, Abul K. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Saunders. pp. 1081. ISBN 0-7216-0187-1.
- ↑ Tadrous, Paul.J. Diagnostic Criteria Handbook in Histopathology: A Surgical Pathology Vade Mecum (1st ed.). Wiley. pp. 237. ISBN 978-0470519035.
- ↑ GAG. 6 Oct 2009.
- ↑ Arias-Stella, J. (Jan 2002). "The Arias-Stella reaction: facts and fancies four decades after.". Adv Anat Pathol 9 (1): 12-23. PMID 11756756.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Tawfik, O.; Venuti, S.; Brown, S.; Collins, J. (1996). "Immunohistochemical characterization of leukocytic subpopulations in chronic endometritis.". Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol 4 (5): 287-93. doi:10.1155/S1064744996000555. PMC 2364507. PMID 18476109. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2364507/.
- ↑ URL: http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/uterus.html#endopolyp. Accessed on: 15 September 2011.
- ↑ Sherman, ME.; Ronnett, BM.; Ioffe, OB.; Richesson, DA.; Rush, BB.; Glass, AG.; Chatterjee, N.; Duggan, MA. et al. (Jul 2008). "Reproducibility of biopsy diagnoses of endometrial hyperplasia: evidence supporting a simplified classification.". Int J Gynecol Pathol 27 (3): 318-25. doi:10.1097/PGP.0b013e3181659167. PMID 18580308.
- ↑ Cotran, Ramzi S.; Kumar, Vinay; Fausto, Nelson; Nelso Fausto; Robbins, Stanley L.; Abbas, Abul K. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Saunders. pp. 1080 and 1082. ISBN 0-7216-0187-1.
- ↑ Cotran, Ramzi S.; Kumar, Vinay; Fausto, Nelson; Nelso Fausto; Robbins, Stanley L.; Abbas, Abul K. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Saunders. pp. 1082. ISBN 0-7216-0187-1.
- ↑ Lu KH (April 2009). "Management of early-stage endometrial cancer". Semin. Oncol. 36 (2): 137–44. doi:10.1053/j.seminoncol.2008.12.005. PMID 19332248.