Morphometric distinction of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma cells from foamy macrophages in gastric endoscopic biopsies.

AIMS To distinguish signet-ring cancer cells from foamy macrophages in the small gastric endoscopic biopsies using objective morphometric measurements of nuclei. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using computerized image analysis, the mean nuclear area, length, breadth, perimeter and roundness were analyzed in histological sections of ten gastric endoscopic biopsies with signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma and four benign lesions with numerous foamy macrophages. RESULTS Nuclei of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma were significantly bigger than nuclei of foamy macrophages. Mean nuclear area (34.25 μm2 for carcinoma cells vs. 25.41 μm2 for macrophages) and mean nuclear breadth (5.82 μm vs. 4.99 μm, respectively) differed significantly (P < 0.05), whereas the remaining parameters did not. CONCLUSION Nuclear morphometry can distinguish foamy macrophages from signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma cells in endoscopic gastric biopsies.