title: Detection of high-grade lesions on cell blocks from residual fluids of Pap smears diagnosed as low-grade abnormalities: a preliminary pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of the technique of cell blocks (CBs) from residual fluids of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears diagnosed as low-grade abnormalities in the detection of high-grade lesions on biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present pilot study, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of 70 CBs from liquid-based cervicovaginal smears of women with atypical squamous cells (ASCs) of undetermined significance (ASCUS; n = 39), ASCs that cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H; n = 17) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs; n = 14) in the detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) type 2+ lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 70 CBs, 22 were diagnosed as negative, 27 as CIN1 and 21 as CIN2+. The sensitivity and specificity of CB preparation for the diagnosis of CIN2+ lesions were 50 and 100%, respectively, in ASCUS, 92 and 100%, respectively, in ASC-H, 100 and 100%, respectively, in LSILs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms that CB preparation is a simple and reproducible technique with a good specificity that could be added advantageously to Pap smears to detect CIN2+ lesions in women with ASCs and LSILs.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gynaecopathology, Department of Pathology, Erasme University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. xavier.catteau06@gmail.com
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Catteau
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Noël
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D060787:Neoplasm Grading / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards