INTEROBSERVER AND INTRAOBSERVER VARIATION IN THE REPORTING OF CERVICAL SMEARS - SPECIALIST CYTOPATHOLOGISTS VERSUS HISTOPATHOLOGISTS

One hundred and ten cervical smears were circulated to five specialist consultant cytopathologists and five consultant histopathologists. Of these smears, 100 were randomized and re-circulated. The cytopatholog ists reported endocervical cells and wart virus infection more frequen tly than the histopathologists, although neither group showed good int er-observer agreement for either assessment. Apart from smear adequacy and the presence of endocervical cells, both groups showed good intra -observer agreement in all the parameters measured. This suggests that overall individuals were applying their own personal criteria with co nsistency over time, although a previous study had shown considerable lack of inter-observer agreement among the histopathologists on the gr ade of dyskaryosis and the management recommendation. The results indi cate that specialist cytopathologists bring a different viewpoint to t he reporting of cervical smears than histopathologists. They also show a lack of standardization in the reporting of smears despite the guid elines issued by the British Society for Clinical Cytology.