Evaluation of volume-weighted mean nuclear volume in endometrial lesions.

The individual nuclear size was studied in three groups of endometrial samples (simple hyperplasia -SH-, atypical hyperplasia -AH-, and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma -WDA-). The application of recent semiquantitative systems in combination with stereological methods permits a simple, quick and unbiased estimation of the volume-weighted mean nuclear volume vv(nucl). We have found an increase in the vv(nucl) from SH to AH to WDA. There are significant differences between the mean of the three groups (p < 0.01). The variance associated with estimates of vv(nucl) is mainly provided by differences among lesions; i.e. patients. This capacity for discriminating may be associated with gland and lumen endometrial quantification to improve the correct diagnosis of endometrial samples.