The role of endocervicoscopy in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a systematic review of the literature

Endocervicoscopy is an alternative diagnostic tool to endocervical curettage for the diagnostic workup of repeatedly positive cervicovaginal cytology suggestive of a high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and negative or unsatisfactory colposcopy. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of endocervicoscopy in women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in the presence of nonvisible squamocolumnar junction with unsatisfactory colposcopy. A systematic review of literature was performed by searching in the main electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, ClinicalTrial.gov, OVID and Cochrane Library), from their inception to January 2021 for studies testing endocervicoscopy. Risk of Bias Assessment was performed. Four articles were included: three prospective and one retrospective cohort studies. Data on the endocervicoscopy accuracy, the accuracy and reliability correlation with definitive histology, the cone biopsy dimension after endocervicoscopy, the comparison between endocervicoscopy and curettage and the lesion missed were analyzed. Based on our results, the limit of this technique is the low predictive value that does not allow it to replace the colposcopy. Nevertheless, it could help to define the characteristics and localization of cervical-suspected lesions. However, further studies are needed to clarify its use and indication.