Your Pap Test ResultsThe following are the most common Pap test results. Please check with your clinician for specific follow up options or further questions about your results. Unsatisfactory for diagnosis – This diagnosis is rendered when not enough material is present or visible in the specimen to make a definitive diagnosis. Your Pap smear should be repeated as clinically indicated by your physician. This is not an abnormal result. Benign Cellular Changes – Changes are present that may indicate an infection or irritation to your vagina or cervix. Further treatment may or may not be warranted based on total findings by your clinician. Other-See Comment – Negative for Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion. Endometrial cells / Probable Endometrial cells are present in a woman greater than 40 years of age – This diagnosis is reported when cells from your upper uterus are seen in your Pap smear. These cells are a normal finding in women during or shortly after menstruation, but may indicate disease in some women who are near or past menopause. Your clinician will correlate these findings with your particular factors and determine if further evaluation is necessary. Negative for Intraepithelial Lesion – No abnormal or reactive cells were seen. Routine follow up as suggested by your clinician. Low Grade Intraepithelial Lesion – Cellular changes are present that suggest infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Low Grade lesions are typically caused by strains of the virus that have a low potential for causing cervical cancer. These lesions normally resolve with no treatment, but your clinician may recommend further treatment or evaluation depending on your particular factors. High Grade Intraepithelial Lesion - – Cellular changes are present that suggest infection with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). High Grade lesions are typically caused by strains of the virus that have a high potential for causing cervical cancer. Your clinician will recommend further evaluation and/ or treatment based on your particular factors. If treated early, these lesions have an almost 100% cure rate. Positive Cytology or Positive for Malignant cells– Cellular changes are present that suggest cancer is present. Biopsy confirmation and further tests may recommended by your clinician before treatment begins. A Day in the Life of Your Pap TestOnce your clinician has collected your Pap smear, it is transported to UniPath by one of our couriers. Next, it is given a unique identifying number by our Accessioning staff. Our Cyto-processors then use one of two techniques, as determined by your clinician, to transfer and stain the cells on a glass slide to be read by our Cytotechnologists. The Cytotechnologist (specialist in cell morphology ) then examines the thousands of cells in your specimen. If abnormal cells are detected, your specimen is shown to one of our pathologists (doctors who assist in the diagnosis of disease through laboratory testing) and a final diagnosis is rendered. Your doctor’s office is then contacted by UniPath with the result, so that you and your physician can discuss how to proceed with your healthcare. The following article contains more technical information about management of various abnormalities related to Pap and other gynecological tests. The information contained on this page is meant for informational purposes only; it is not intended to be used as advice or in place of a consultation with your physician about your health care. Communication with your personal physician is the best way to seek advice and to make decisions about your health care. If you have any questions about this or any information you have read, please contact your physician. |