1-3 GYN Cytomorphology- Glandular

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Week 1

  • Content Expert: David C. Wilbur, MD
  • Cytotechnologist: Peter Brown
  • Objective: To describe the common morphologic features in glandular cell lesions found in pap smears.

Related PDFs of Lectures


Normal endocervicals – MG07-41719
  • Column cells with basally located nuclei
  • Basophilic vacuolated cytoplasm
  • Picket fence arrangement when seen on side, honeycomb when seen from above
  • Nuclei round, oval, slightly larger than em nuclei, similar to sq. met.

Normal endometrial cells – MG07-37747
  • Nuclei small, round, dark, indistinct nucleoli
  • Cytoplasm is scant, may have vacuoles
  • Deep stromal cells, dark, degenerate with scant cytoplasm
  • Superficial stromal cells look like histocytes
  • 3-D ball like clusters

Reactive endocervicals – C02-X21800
  • Slightly to moderately enlarged nuclear size
  • Prominent nucleoli
  • Can see multinucleation
  • Chromatin normal
  • Nuclear contours regular
  • In groups cells maintain polarity

Endocervical atypia 10D –C92-1561 and MG09-21470
  • Changes are seen in endometrial cells or endocervical cells, em’s shed at mid cycle
  • Single cells or small clusters of reaction endocervicals
  • Normal or slightly irregular ems with vacuoles
  • Actinomyces

Tubal metaplasia – G11-37675
  • Single ec’s cells, strips of ec’s with pseudostratification or in clusters with either terminal bars or cilia
  • Nuclei can be round or oval
  • Slightly coarse chromatin (without the presence of cilia or terminal bars can be mistaken for AIS)

AIS endocervical – MG06-00971 and C01-D39098
  • Columnar cells in crowded groups, strips on rosettes
  • Strips may have pseudostratification, groups with irregular polarity
  • Peripheral nuclear palisading (feathering)
  • Irregular dark chromatin, nuclear enlargement

Endocervial Adenoca – MG09-31908
  • Ec’s with enlarged hyperchromatic nuclei in strips
  • Rosettes, pseudostratification, feathering
  • Loss of polarity
  • Difficult to differentiate from AIS

Endocervical Adenoca – C98-17153
  • Strips, rosettes, feathering
  • Disorderly arrangement
  • High N/C ratio
  • Coarse chromatin
  • Architectural features similar to AIS but with greater loss of polarity
  • Prominent nucleoli
  • Mitosis
  • Diasisis

Endometrial CA Grade III – C02-R1948
  • Ball like and papillary groups of irregular glandular cells
  • Nuclear contour irregularities
  • Prominent nucleoli
  • Watery tumor diathesis

Metastatic ovarian adenocarcinoma – C02-N42569
  • Papillary architecture
  • Nuclear enlargement
  • Crowding
  • Loss of polarity
  • Psammoma bodies may be present


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