AutoPap 300 QC system scoring of cervical smears without ''epithelial cell abnormalities''

OBJECTIVE: To examine four morphologic features other than epithelial abnormality to identify if they are associated with a high quality control (QC) score with the AutoPap 300 QC system. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 180 slides (140 with a high QC score and 40 with a low QC score [the control group]) were manually reviewed, and four morphologic features were assessed while blind to the QC score, as follows: adequacy, epithelial fragments and clumps, cytohormonal pattern, and diagnostic categories within normal limits and benign cellular changes (BCC). RESULTS: Both atrophy and a diagnosis of BCC were associated with a high QC score at a statistically significant level. CONCLUSION Certain characteristics of the slide population submitted for AutoPap QC review could have an impact on the overall laboratory workload (QC review rate). There are opportunities to optimize the workload of the laboratory when using AutoPap for QC selection.