RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Can we substitute brush cytology for biopsy in the evaluation of cervical lesions under the guidance of colposcopy? JF International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer JO Int J Gynecol Cancer FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 489 OP 492 DO 10.1136/ijgc-00009577-200505000-00012 VO 15 IS 3 A1 Z. Eftekhar A1 N. Izadi-Mood A1 F. Yarandi A1 M. Khodamoradi A1 P. Rahimi-Moghaddam YR 2005 UL http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/15/3/489.abstract AB In cervical cancer screening, colposcopically directed biopsy is the gold standard method for identifying intraepithelial and occult invasive lesions of the uterine cervix. As biopsy needs special expertise and the procedure is not convenient for the patients, we sought to evaluate colposcopically directed brush cytology as a substitute for biopsy of cervical lesions. We studied a series of 150 women who were referred for colposcopic evaluation. Colposcopically directed brush cytology and biopsy were performed for all patients with abnormal colposcopic findings. A total of 40 samples were excluded due to unsatisfactory report of brush cytology. Of the remaining 110 samples, 34 abnormal pathologies were reported in biopsy evaluations, while only 9 abnormal cytologies were reported in brush cytology specimens. Brush cytology sensitivity and specificity were 26% and 97%, respectively. We conclude that colposcopically directed brush cytology is not a safe substitute for biopsy in the evaluation of cervical lesions.