title: ASC:SIL ratio following implementation of the 2001 Bethesda System.
abstract: The 2001 Bethesda system (TBS 2001) eliminated the "satisfactory but limited by" category, benign cellular changes (BCC), and the designations "favor benign" (ASC-B) and "favor low grade" (ASC-L) for atypical squamous cells. We compared the unsatisfactory rate and atypical squamous cells:squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASC:SIL) ratio pre- and postimplementation of TBS 2001 to see if there was an increase in unsatisfactory specimens, ASC rate, and altered ASC:SIL ratio. Pap Tests (569,726) reviewed at the Cytopathology Laboratory of Women and Infants Hospital from 1998-2002 were included. TBS 1991 terminology was used through December 31, 2001. Conversion to TBS 2001 took place on January 1, 2002. The average ASC:SIL ratios pre- and postimplementation of TBS 2001 were 1.52:1 and 1.42:1, respectively. The rates of unsatisfactory specimens and ASC remained unchanged. Conversion to TBS 2001 did not adversely affect the ASC:SIL ratio or the detection rates of abnormalities of Pap tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Women and Infants Hospital and Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, USA.
authors.forename: M Ruhul
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Quddus
authors.forename: C James
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Eklund
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis*