title: Objective evaluation of Papanicolaou staining.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the color of cytoplasm stained by Papanicolaou staining quantitatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytoplasm photographed under the same conditions was measured for spectral reflection by colorimetry, and the color of the cytoplasm was shown by the L*a*b* color specification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This method enabled us to specify the color of cytoplasm, which was classified in light green, eosin and orangeophilic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The variation in the color of cytoplasm by different staining methods was quantified and related to the dyes absorbed by the cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wakayama Medical College, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kakudo
mesh_terms: D003124:Colorimetry; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000166:cytology; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*