Frozen Section Evaluation of the Cone Margin Status in High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> Meticulous examination of frozen section of cone specimens is required to precisely evaluate the resection margin status and rule out invasion in cases with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). <strong>Objectives:</strong> The aim of the present study was to determine the role of frozen section examination (FSE) of the cone specimen in the evaluation of the resection margin status and to rule out invasion in patients with high-grade CIN. <strong>Patients and Methods:</strong> This cross-sectional study was performed on 38 patients with high-grade CIN undergoing conization biopsy at Imam Hossein hospital in Tehran from April 2012 through May 2013. Then, FS examination was performed for all patients and the results obtained were compared with those of permanent paraffin sections. <strong>Results:</strong> Thirty-three (86.8%) out of 38 patients had the same results in frozen and permanent sections of cone biopsy margin specimens (P = 1). Two out of 33 (6.1%) patients had frozen and permanent positive margins and 31 (93.9%) patients had negative frozen and permanent margins. Among the other 5 patients (13.2%), 2 had positive frozen margins and negative permanent margins and 3 patients had negative frozen margins and positive permanent margins. Diagnostic accuracies in cone margin and lesion grading were 63.1% and 44.7%, respectively. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> In conclusion, in high-grade CIN, FS examination was a rapid, reliable and cost-effective means of evaluating cervical conization specimens.