Non-neoplastic findings

The category “negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy” is used for specimens that show a spectrum of nonneoplastic changes, including those associated with protective and reactive responses to inflammation, hormonal alterations, and colonizing or infectious organisms. Recognition of the wide variety of normal cellular presentations is key for the accurate discrimination from neoplastic conditions. Many characteristic patterns of reaction in normal cells can be important clues to the underlying causative process. Some of these patterns have features which are also seen in neoplasia, hence recognition of the key reactive changes is essential for overall accuracy. An expanded variety of “normal” findings as well as non-neoplastic mimics of classic epithelial abnormalities are included in this chapter, providing a more complete representation of the morphologic variations that can be encountered in cervical cytology preparations.