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.