MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF SPINOUS CELL IN ORAL SUBMUCOUS FIBROSIS - COMPARISON WITH NORMAL MUCOSA, LEUKOPLAKIA AND SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

The morphometric analysis of the spinous cell in 16 specimens of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) was made by using interactive image analysis system (IBAS-II). 19 parameters of the size and shape were chosen, and compared with normal mucosa, leukoplakia, dysplasia and carcinoma. Th e results indicated that the cell dimensions (area, perimeter, all kin ds of diameter) and nuclear cytoplasmic ratio in OSF were between norm al mucosa and dysplasia as well as carcinoma. The former showed a prog ressive decrease (P<0.01), and the latter showed a progressive increas e (P<0.01). The dimensions of the nuclei did not show considerable dif ferences among the groups (P>0.05). A series of discriminant functions had been developed with stepwise discriminant analysis, the agreement ratio for OSF was 93.75%. The decrease of cell area and the increase of nuclear cytoplasmic ratio could reflect a malignant progress. The c ell morphometric model could discriminate OSF well from other groups, suggesting that the change of the epithelium in OSF appearing in the s pinous cell is specific itself.