Utility of brushing cytology in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection

Abstract

Objective: We performed brushing cytology during routine gastroendoscopic examinations to evaluate the utility of gastric brushing cytology in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Study design: The brushing cytology materials were obtained from the antrum of the stomach in 107 patients. The urea breath test, biopsy urease test and histology with hematoxylineosin staining were also performed on each patient. We then compared the results of brushing cytology with those of the three other tests (13C urea breath test, biopsy urease test, histology).

Results: Fifty-nine of 103 patients (57%) were diagnosed as positive for H pylori organisms using brushing cytology. Using positive or negative results from any two of the other three tests as the gold standard, a true positive result was found in 57 cases, a true negative in 43 cases, a false positive in 2 cases and a false negative in 1 case. The sensitivity and specificity of brushing cytology were 98% and 96%, respectively.

Conclusion: Gastric brushing cytology provides an accurate, inexpensive and easy technique in the rapid detection of H pylori infection. Brushing cytology also has the advantage of being applicable to diagnostic endoscopy without waiting days for results.