Papanicolaou Test

Papanicolaou Test

In 1988, the first National Cancer Institute (NCI) workshop held in Bethesda, Maryland, Classification resulted in the development of the Bethesda System for cytologic reporting (32). A standardized method of reporting cytology findings was needed to facilitate peer review and quality assurance. The terminology was refined in the Bethesda III System (2001). According to this system, potentially premalignant squamous lesions fall into three categories:

 

(i) atypical squamous cells (ASC)

(ii) low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL)

(iii) high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)

 

The ASC category is subdivided into two categories: those of unknown significance (ASCUS), and those in which high-grade lesions must be excluded (ASC-H). Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions include CIN 1 (mild dysplasia) and the changes of HPV, termed koilocytotic atypia. The HSIL category includes CIN 2 and CIN 3 (moderate dysplasia, severe dysplasia, and carcinoma in situ). A comparison of the various terms as they relate is shown in Table 17.1.

 

 

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