Dr. Dimitris Chatzibougias
In our previous articles, we made an effort to explain in simple terms what “Barrett’s oesophagus” means, and we presented photographic material showing the most important changes that characterise it: gastric metaplasia, intestinal metaplasia and “goblet” cells. Through systematic follow-up with oesophagogastroscopy, the gastroenterologist takes biopsies, whenever deemed necessary, so that the pathologist can assess the progression of the condition, namely whether dysplasia is beginning to appear. Dysplasia plays an important role in the development of carcinoma, and therefore its diagnosis is decisive for the follow-up plan.
The blue arrows in the photomicrograph highlight a group of three glands — round formations — located very close to one another and composed of a single layer of cells with atypical, hyperchromatic, dark nuclei. This area represents a focus of mild dysplasia.
Dysplastic changes are shown at even higher magnification. We can see the glands — round formations — located close to one another and composed of cells with enlarged, hyperchromatic, dark nuclei with irregular shape.