[Appraisal of the optical diagnostic technique for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia by polarimetric imaging "Polcolpo". Comparison with colposcopic and histological diagnoses by biopsy].

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this study was to compare the performances of polarimetric imaging and standard colposcopy for the detection of CIN.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We performed a monocentric prospective clinical study. The standard colposcopic diagnosis obtained during a first consultation was compared to the diagnosis provided by polarimetric imaging in a second consultation. In addition to the biopsies guided by classical or polarimetric colposcopy, a systematic biopsy taken at a predefined location allowed to calculate the specificities and sensitivities of both techniques.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty-one patients were included, all of them with anomalous Pap smears. Sixty-seven cone biopsies were taken, 69 % of which were eventually diagnosed with CIN2+ lesions. The sensitivities and specificities were found to be equal for standard and polarimetric colposcopies.

CONCLUSION

We could not demonstrate any improvement of the diagnostic performances with polarimetric colposcopy alone. However, for both healthy and pathological cervices, we observed interesting polarimetric responses involving other characteristics than those we initially assumed, and which will be taken into account in a future study.