Case 5

View the images and select the correct diagnosis from the list below.

​The mystery package

Cervical smear from a 32-year-old woman, day 24

Image 1 

Image 2 

Image 3 

Image 4 

Select the correct diagnosis:

You answered: Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance.

Sorry, that is incorrect.

The correct diagnosis is: High-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.

Cytopathology
  • Disordered and irregular aggregates of highly atypical cells are present.
  • Cell crowding is readily apparent, with altered nuclear polarity.
  • Cytoplasm is scant to absent in many groups, while other clusters have well-defined, dense basophilic cytoplasm.
  • The nuclei are irregular and hyperchromatic
Discussion
  • The cervical biopsy reveals a high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.
  • Interpretation of crowded cell clusters can be very difficult. Looking for hyperchromatic nuclei, irregular nuclear membranes, and dense cytoplasm would aid in the diagnosis of a squamous lesion.
  • Nuclear palisading can be seen in fragments from squamous carcinoma in situ and in the absence of definite gland formation, rosettes or feathering, are more likely squamous than endocervical.

Back to images

​References
  1. Bonfiglio, T.A. & Erozan, Y.S. (1997). Gynecologic Cytopathology. Philadelphia: Lipincott-Raven 145.
  2. Solomon, D., Nayar, R. et al. (2004). The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology 2nd Edition. New York: Springer-Verlag 80-81.

You answered: High-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.

That is correct!

Cytopathology
  • Disordered and irregular aggregates of highly atypical cells are present
  • Cell crowding is readily apparent, with altered nuclear polarity
  • Cytoplasm is scant to absent in many groups, while other clusters have well-defined, dense basophilic cytoplasm
  • The nuclei are irregular and hyperchromatic
Discussion
  • The cervical biopsy reveals a high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.
  • Interpretation of crowded cell clusters can be very difficult.  Looking for hyperchromatic nuclei, irregular nuclear membranes, and dense cytoplasm would aid in the diagnosis of a squamous lesion.
  • Nuclear palisading can be seen in fragments from squamous carcinoma in situ and in the absence of definite gland formation, rosettes or feathering, are more likely squamous than endocervical.

Back to images

​References
  1. Bonfiglio, T.A. & Erozan, Y.S. (1997). Gynecologic Cytopathology. Philadelphia: Lipincott-Raven 145.
  2. Solomon, D., Nayar, R. et al. (2004). The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology 2nd Edition. New York: Springer-Verlag 80-81.​

You answered: Atypical glandular cells, favour neoplastic.

Sorry, that is incorrect.

The correct diagnosis is: High-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.

Cytopathology
  • Disordered and irregular aggregates of highly atypical cells are present.
  • Cell crowding is readily apparent, with altered nuclear polarity.
  • Cytoplasm is scant to absent in many groups, while other clusters have well-defined, dense basophilic cytoplasm.
  • The nuclei are irregular and hyperchromatic
Discussion
  • The cervical biopsy reveals a high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.
  • Interpretation of crowded cell clusters can be very difficult. Looking for hyperchromatic nuclei, irregular nuclear membranes, and dense cytoplasm would aid in the diagnosis of a squamous lesion.
  • Nuclear palisading can be seen in fragments from squamous carcinoma in situ and in the absence of definite gland formation, rosettes or feathering, are more likely squamous than endocervical.

Back to images

​References
  1. Bonfiglio, T.A. & Erozan, Y.S. (1997). Gynecologic Cytopathology. Philadelphia: Lipincott-Raven 145.
  2. Solomon, D., Nayar, R. et al. (2004). The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology 2nd Edition. New York: Springer-Verlag 80-81.

You answered: Adenocarcinoma in situ.

Sorry, that is incorrect.

The correct diagnosis is: High-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion.

Cytopathology
  • Disordered and irregular aggregates of highly atypical cells are present.
  • Cell crowding is readily apparent, with altered nuclear polarity.
  • Cytoplasm is scant to absent in many groups, while other clusters have well-defined, dense basophilic cytoplasm.
  • The nuclei are irregular and hyperchromatic. 
Discussion
  • The cervical biopsy reveals a high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion
  • Interpretation of crowded cell clusters can be very difficult.  Looking for hyperchromatic nuclei, irregular nuclear membranes, and dense cytoplasm would aid in the diagnosis of a squamous lesion.
  • Nuclear palisading can be seen in fragments from squamous carcinoma in situ and in the absence of definite gland formation, rosettes or feathering, are more likely squamous than endocervical.

Back to images

​References
  1. Bonfiglio, T.A. & Erozan, Y.S. (1997). Gynecologic Cytopathology. Philadelphia: Lipincott-Raven 145.
  2. Solomon, D., Nayar, R. et al. (2004). The Bethesda System for Reporting Cervical Cytology 2nd Edition. New York: Springer-Verlag 80-81.

 

 
 
From the Cytopathology files of BC Cancer.

Submitted by: Brenda Smith, BSc and Tom Thomson, MD.