Comparison of endocervical curettage and endocervical brushing.

OBJECTIVE: To compare endocervical brushing with endocervical curettage with respect to diagnostic yield by histology and patient discomfort. METHODS: Nonpregnant women referred for colposcopy because of abnormal Papanicolaou test results were randomized to endocervical sampling with either a metal curette (endocervical curettage [ECC]) or an endocervical brush. Extensive endocervical canal brushing was performed. All samples were submitted for histologic study. Results were evaluated against the histologic findings in electroconization specimens in a masked fashion. Pain scores were recorded using Melzack's Present Pain Intensity Scale. RESULTS: During the study period, 315 patients were randomized to the techniques: 157 to ECC and 158 to endocervical brushing. Of the 315 patients, 147 also underwent electroconization. Overall false-positive rates were 28.6% for endocervical brushing and 30.8% for ECC. False positives were due to contamination of the endocervical sample by lesional epithelium near the external os. The proportion of scanty specimens obtained by endocervical brushing (7. 6%) was higher than that obtained by ECC (2.5%) (P =.041). One sample obtained by brushing was insufficient for diagnosis; none obtained by ECC were insufficient. There were no statistically significant differences in the median pain scores between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The techniques were similar in terms of diagnostic yield and patient discomfort. Endocervical brushing had lower false-positive rates than those reported in the literature for cytologic analysis. Although ECC remains the method of choice for evaluation of the endocervical canal, brushing is an acceptable alternative.

Internal-surface reversed-phase chromatography for plasma metabolite analysis of radiopharmaceuticals.

The use of internal-surface reversed-phase (ISRP) chromatography of unprocessed plasma samples was investigated as an alternative method of quantitation of the arterial plasma metabolite time course of [18F]N-methylspiperone. The ISRP method was directly compared to standard solid phase extraction/HPLC (SPE/HPLC) methods currently in wide use. Results indicate that: (1) the ISRP method is rapid and minimizes sample preparation; (2) recovery of radioactivity from the ISRP column is greater than 90%; (3) no radioactivity remains associated with chromatographically size excluded proteins and (4) the quantitative results are well correlated with conventional SPE/HPLC methods.