Endocervical and metaplastic cells: comparison of endocervical and metaplastic cell number in Papanicolaou smears with and without squamous intraepithelial lesion.
OBJECTIVE
To compare, with a retrospective study, endocervical and metaplastic cell number to identify the cytology of squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) of the cervix.


METHODS
Cytology files from March 2000 to March 2003 were reevaluated, and those with SIL were identified.


RESULTS
In 8,743 cervicovaginal smears were found 70 (0.8%) SIL smears (39 low grade, 31 high grade) and 140 randomly selected smears without squamous or glandular abnormalities that were not atrophic or unsatisfactory. Endocervical and metaplastic cells counted in these smears and then classified into 5 groups were compared with each other.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with smears containing endocervical cells are not at greater risk for SIL than those with smears lacking these cells. Women with smears containing metaplastic cells are more likely to have SIL than those without metaplastic cells. In addition, high grade lesions are more likely in smears containing more metaplastic cells.
Izadi Mood
Narges
N
Department of Pathology, Mirza Koochak Khan Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. nizadimood@yahoo.com
Mozaffari Miandoab
Hadi
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*