ACCURACY AND CONSISTENCY OF CYTOLOGIC CLASSIFICATION OF SQUAMOUS LESIONS OF UTERINE CERVIX

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 21  (4) , 519-523
Abstract
The slides of 60 cases of cervical lesions in the 5 categories of benign inflammatory change, mild to moderate dysplasia, severe dysplasia, squamous carcinoma in situ and invasive squamous carcinoma were reviewed on 2 separate occasions by 2 cytopathologists, 9 cytotechnologists and 4 cytotechnology students. Their overall concurrence of the cytologic with the tissue diagnoses was 78% and was slightly higher for the cytotechnology students than the more experienced observers. In 44% of invasive carcinomas and in 38% of carcinomas in situ, there was considerable disagreement between cytologic and tissue classifications partly due to the presence of inadequate material on the cytologic slides which were selected consecutively based on the subsequent tissue diagnosis. The pathologists reproduced their own cytologic classification within 1 category variance in 94% of patients as compared to 92% for the cytotechnologists and 86% for the students. The study emphasizes the need for evaluation of laboratory performance based on routine diagnostic material in considering the accuracy and reproducibility of the procedure and in establishing quality control programs.