ARCHIVED - Cervical Cancer Screening in Canada: 1998 Surveillance Report

Appendix B

Classification Systems

Provinces in Canada use various cervical cytology classification systems. To display data for comparison, the various systems were converted to the Bethesda Classification System. Table B1 shows the conversion system used for the data provided. Table B2 shows for each province, the actual categories that were used for conversion of the data provided.

Table B1 : Cervico-vaginal Reporting TerminologiesTable B1 - Footnote 1
The Bethesda System CIN/Modified Walton System
Unsatisfactory: state reason Unsatisfactory : state reason
Within normal limits No abnormal cells, metaplasia noted
Benign cellular changes
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
  • Fungal organisms morphologically consistent with Candida spp.
  • Cellular changes associated with herpes simplex virus
Abnormal cells consistent with reactive atypia (non-dysplastic)
  • Trichomonas effect
  • Yeast effect
  • Viral effect (herpes type)
Benign cellular changes Abnormal cells consistent with reactive atypia (non-dysplastic)
Reactive cellular changes associated with
  • inflammation
  • radiation
  • other
  • Inflammatory effect
  • Irradiation effect
  • Other
ASCUSTable B1 - Footnote 2* Abnormal cells consistent with atypia (possibly dysplastic)
  • Atypical metaplasia
  • Atypical parakeratosis
  • Other (add comment)
LSILTable B1 - Footnote 3** Abnormal cells consistent with condyloma (HPVTable B1 - Footnote 6§ effect)
LSIL Mild dysplasia/CINTable B1 - Footnote 7§§ I
HSILTable B1 - Footnote 4*** Moderate dysplasia/CIN II
HSIL Severe dysplasia/CISTable B1 - Footnote 8§§§/CIN III
Carcinoma Abnormal cells consistent with malignancy
Squamous cell carcinoma Consistent with invasive squamous carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma Consistent with adenocarcinoma
Unspecified Type unspecified
AGUSTable B1 - Footnote 5****  
Other Abnormal cells not specifically classified (Add comment)
Table B2 : Conversion of Provincial Reporting Categories to the Bethesda Reporting System
Province Within Normal Limits (WNL) and Benign Cellular Changes (BCC) Low Grade Abnormalities High Grade Abnormalities Carcinoma
British Columbia Negative, reactive changes (squamous, glandular and epithelial cells) Atypical, NOS (Not Otherwise Specified), mild (squamous, glandular and epithelial cells) Moderate, marked and suspicious (squamous, glandular and epithelial cells) Carcinoma
Ontario WNL and BCC ASCUS, LSIL AGUS, HSIL Carcinoma
Nova Scotia Negative Abnormal, mild dysplasia Moderate, severe dysplasia Suggestive and positive for malignancy
Prince Edward IslandTable B2 - Footnote 1* Negative/benign CIN I CIN II, CIN III Carcinoma

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