RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: Fractal dimension (FD) is widely used in medicine and biology as a tool for defining features of structure. This study aimed to compare pathological endometrium (simple-complex hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma), as well as the endometrial changes, during the phases of the menstrual cycle. The main goal was the objective measurement of fractal dimension and to refrain from subjective evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two thousand cases of endometrial tissue from patients who underwent dilatation and curettage (D&C) were reviewed. Out of these, 137 cases were eligible for the study. In each case, immunohistochemistry with cytokeratin Ae1/AE3 was performed in order to simplify the evaluation of the FD. RESULTS: Endometria with carcinoma, simple or complex hyperplasia showed significant differences only in the immunohistochemically stained fractal dimensions. As expected, significant differences were also found between atrophic and secretory endometrium and carcinoma. CONCLUSION: FD is an objective, rapid and simple procedure for the differential diagnosis between complex hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma.