title: ASC/SIL Ratio for Cytotechnologists: A surrogate marker of screening sensitivity.
abstract: The atypical squamous cell/squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC/SIL) ratio has been used as a surrogate quality control tool for specificity and uncertainty for cytopathologists. Whether this ratio is useful for cytotechnologists is not known. During an 8-month period, the sensitivity of screening for 11 cytotechnologists was determined using rapid prescreening. The ASC/SIL ratio for each cytotechnologist was correlated with the screening accuracy for each. Screening sensitivity varied from 50.5% to 97.7%, and the ASC/SIL ratio varied from 0.87 to 4.49. The mean screening sensitivity for cytotechnologists with ASC/SIL ratios less than 1.5 was significantly less than that of cytotechnologists whose ASC/SIL ratio was more than 3.0 (67% vs 95%; P = .021). In the absence of more accurate quality control data, an ASC/SIL ratio less than 1.5 for a cytotechnologist may be a surrogate marker for inadequate screening sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrew A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Renshaw
authors.forename: Majorie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deschênes
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auger
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000592:standards*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor