Prospective, blinded comparison of cytology and DNA-image cytometry of brush biopsies for early detection of oral malignancy

summary Objectives: Adjunctive techniques like DNA image cytometry (DNA-ICM) have been attributed to enhance the diagnostic performance of oral brush biopsies. The aim of the study was an evaluation of brush biopsies, analysed according to morphological criteria and by DNA-ICM vs. histological findings in a blinded prospective trial. Materials and methods: Eighty eight brush biopsies of 70 patients were sampled. Only clinical suspicious but not evident malignant oral lesions were included. Clinical diagnosis was leukoplakia (n = 36), lichen planus (n = 18), verruciform erythroplakia (n = 12), erythroleukoplakia (n = 9), erosion (n = 7) and induration (n = 6). Evaluation was conducted via hi…