Women's Health

General Gynecology

Understanding the Pap Test

How is the Pap Test Evaluated?

The slide, along with some personal information (your age and gynecologic and obstetric history), is sent to a laboratory. A specially trained laboratory technologist examines the slide under a microscope and searches for abnormalities among the 50,000 to 300,000 cells found on the slide.

The Bethesda Classification System is a recently developed means of evaluating the Pap smear. It was devised at a 1988 workshop sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.The system provides three main types of information:

1. A statement on the adequacy of the specimen

If the sample is considered unacceptable, a new sample is requested.

2. A General categorization

The sample is categorized as being "normal" or "other."

3. The descriptive diagnosis

If designated as "other," the sample is evaluated further. It is classified as infection, inflammation or different stages and forms of cancer. The person evaluating the Pap smear would describe the kinds of abnormal calls that are found.