The Bethesda system is a new system that is currently being used to report cytology results. So if you have received your Pap smear result and you have an incomprehensible description instead of the well-known groups, it means that the Bethesda system was used. Check how to interpret test results in this system.

The Bethesdasystem is a relatively new system that is used to delivercytology results.The Bethesda System determines if the swab contains appropriate material for evaluation and gives an overall judgment as to whether or not the Pap smear is normal.

The current five-point Papanicolau scale is considered insufficient as the determination of the cytological group does not provide the gynecologist with all the information that is very important for further treatment. This is why the US National Cancer Institute at Bethesda has proposed a classification that is commonly referred to as the Bethesda System. This method of describing the results of cytology is also recommended by the Polish Gynecological Society.

Cytology - Bethesda results

The Bethesda system primarily tells you whether the smear contains the appropriate material for cytological evaluation - that is, whether the number of cells collected for testing was sufficient and whether the sample contains cells from the cervical canal. The next step is the determination of whether the cytological picture is normal or not, and then a detailed description of the changes found - that is, the type of infection and possible repair changes, changes in epithelial cells and the presence of other abnormal cells. In any case, you should show the cytology result to the gynecologist.

Cytology results in the Bethesda system

  • Normal cytology- only normal squamous and glandular epithelial cells - endocervix are marked in the description, which indicates that the result is correct, it corresponds to the old group I.
  • Normal cytology with mild inflammation- the description includes normal cells and a few cells that indicate inflammation, which is likely to resolve spontaneously.
  • Normal cytology with inflammation- the description includes normal cells, single leukocytes and cells indicating inflammation. This result is fineformer group II.
  • AGUS / ASCUS. Incorrect result- cells indicating inflammation are marked in the description, which are difficult to classify unequivocally. However, there are no abnormal cells from which to develop cancer yet.
  • Cytological image matches Bethesda LSIL- invalid result. This means that individual cells have appeared in the smear, from which they can form tumors. This usually indicates acute inflammation and corresponds to the former group III.
  • Cytological image matches Bethesda HSIL -invalid result. There are numerous cells in the smear that can develop cancer.
You must do it

This is about your life

In women who regularly undergo cytology, neoplastic changes are detected at the earliest stage (the so-called pre-invasive cancer), which guarantees a 100% cure. Unfortunately, Polish women do not like to be tested, as evidenced by the fact that, despite invitations to a free cytology test, less than 10 percent of them apply for it. women. Therefore, in the infamous cervical cancer incidence statistics, our country ranks second in Europe. Five Polish women die of this cancer every day. And thanks to systematically performed cytology, as many as 4 of them could be saved!

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