title: Standardized terminology and nomenclature for respiratory cytology: The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology has developed a set of guidelines for respiratory cytology including indications for cytologic testing, techniques for cytologic sampling, terminology and nomenclature for respiratory diseases, ancillary testing, and recommendations for postcytologic diagnosis follow-up and management.
  
  
  METHODS
  All documents are based on the expertise of the authors, an extensive literature review and discussions of the draft documents at national and international meetings over a 12-month period. This document selectively presents the results of these discussions and reports a proposed standardized terminology scheme for respiratory cytology that correlates cytologic diagnosis with biologic behavior and patient management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The classification and terminology scheme recommends a six-tiered system composed of: nondiagnostic, negative, atypical, neoplastic (benign and neoplasms of low malignant potential), suspicious, and positive for malignancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scheme recommends statements on specimen adequacy followed by the major classification category and then a subclassification and/or comments section. Each of the six main diagnostic categories is associated with an estimated risk of malignancy. Subsequent documents will propose ancillary testing recommendations, techniques for cytologic sampling, indications for cytologic study and postcytologic diagnosis management and follow-up recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
authors.forename: Lester J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Layfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Zubair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baloch
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elsheikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Litzky
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rekhtman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rektman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.affiliation: Retired, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geisinger
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D012015:Reference Standards; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D009626:Terminology as Topic
keywords: atypical; cytology; lung; nomenclature; respiratory; suspicious