Quantitative cytomorphologic analyses of Papanicolaou-stained smears from oral lichen planus.

OBJECTIVE

To apply quantitative techniques to cytologic smears in order to improve the diagnostic sensitivity of cytology in the detection of malignant change in the oral cavity.

STUDY

DESIGN

Eighty-two patients with lesions of oral lichen planus were investigated. A total of 247 Papanicolaou-stained buccal smears underwent nuclear and cytoplasmic area measurements using a TV image analyzer.

RESULTS

The cytomorphologic results of this study suggest that lesions of oral lichen planus contain smaller cells and nuclei than those observed in clinically normal oral mucosal smears. There was a statistically significant reduction in nuclear area (P < .001) and cytoplasmic area (P < .05) for the oral lichen planus smears.

CONCLUSION

The TV image analysis system could provide a valuable method of quantifying cell changes in oral smears collected from oral mucosa as a method of monitoring lesions of oral lichen planus.