Home   Chapter Home   Jobs   Conferences    Fellowships    Books

Advertisement

Cervix-Cytology

Normal cells / non-neoplastic findings

Unsatisfactory specimen

Reviewer: Farnaz Hasteh, M.D., UCSD Medical Center (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 6 March 2011, last major update March 2011
Copyright: (c) 2006-2011, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Definition
========================================================================

● Unsatisfactory if more than 75% of specimen is obscured by blood or inflammation
● Also due to scant cellularity, or if specimen is rejected, not processed, or unsatisfactory for evaluation due to another reason
● An adequate conventional Pap test should have 8,000 to 12,000 squamous cells
● An adequate liquid-based Preparation (LBP) should have at least 5,000 squamous cells (review at least 10 microscopic fields at 40x)

Terminology
========================================================================

Examples of sample reports for unsatisfactory cases:
● Unsatisfactory because of obscuring inflammation
● Unsatisfactory because of insufficient squamous cellularity
● Unsatisfactory because of obscuring blood

Clinical features
========================================================================

● May be due to atrophy
● For Thin Prep, reprocessing of unsatisfactory slides is useful (Am J Clin Path 2002; 117:457)
● May be fewer unsatisfactory specimens with liquid based cytology (Eur J Gynecol Oncol 2005;26:646, Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2005;5:857, Gynecol Oncol 2005;99:597)
● A lower number of cells may be acceptable in vaginal smears (post hysterectomy) or with severe atrophy (The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology:2004
● Presence of endometrial cells does not convert a specimen from unsatisfactory to satisfactory
● Unsatisfactory cases are more often from high risk patients, which may exhibit SIL on follow-up (Cancer Cytopathology 1997; 81:139-143)

Cytology images
========================================================================

   
Various images

End of Cervix-cytology > Normal cells / non-neoplastic findings > Unsatisfactory specimen

This information is intended for physicians and related personnel, who understand that medical information is often imperfect, and must be interpreted in the context of a patient's clinical data using reasonable medical judgment. This website should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a licensed physician.

All information on this website is protected by copyright of PathologyOutlines.com, Inc. Information from third parties may also be protected by copyright. Please contact us at copyrightPathOut@gmail.com with any questions (click here for other contact information).