Endopap ®- versus Pipelle ®-sampling in the diagnosis of postmenopausal endometrial disease

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of Endopap ®- and Pipelle ®-sampling in the diagnosis of postmenopausal disease. Study Design: Observational study in the setting of a University Hospital. One hundred and six consecutive postmenopausal women presenting with uterine bleeding or endometrial cells on cervical cytology underwent an Endopap ® sampling as well as a Pipelle ® biopsy. Thereafter, 89 of those women underwent a hysteroscopy and curettage ( n = 71) or a hysterectomy ( n = 18). The diagnostic accuracy of Pipelle ® and Endopap ® was assessed against the final diagnosis. Results: Endometrial carcinoma was found in five cases (6%), benign disease in 34 (38%). The sensitivity of Endopap ® and Pipelle ® for the detection of endometrial disease was 56 and 51%, respectively, with a specificity of 94 and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity for endometrial carcinoma was 80% for Endopap ® and 100% for Pipelle ®. Conclusion: Our data tend to favor Pipelle ® against Endopap ® as diagnostic tool in endometrial disease in symptomatic postmenopausal women.