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Negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy
The Bethesda system links previous categories normal and benign alterations as a single negative category. The EU guidelines support this opinion (Arbyn et al. 2008; Herbert et al. 2007).
Benign changes that need not be reported in a negative report
- Hormonal patterns (post-partum or atrophic)
- Repair changes
- Microglandular hyperplasia
- Tubal metaplasia
- Sampling of the lower uterine segment
- Irradiation changes
- Alterations due to inflammation or the presence of an intrauterine device
- Benign changes occasionally seen after hysterectomy
- Endometrial cells in women under 40 years of age
As long as these changes are recognised as such they need not be reported (Arbyn et al. 2008; Herbert et al. 2007). It should be noted that some of these features are at risk for false positive reports.
Organisms that may be mentioned in a negative report
- Trichomomas vaginalis
- Candida
- Actinomyces-like organisms
- Herpesvirus multinucleated cells.
These organisms may be mentioned because they may have clinical relevance but are not related to intraepithelial lesions.