Specimen adequacy

Abstract

Evaluation of specimen adequacy is considered by many to be the single most important quality assurance component of the Bethesda system. Prior to the 2001 Bethesda system (TBS), criteria for determining adequacy were based entirely on expert opinion and a few available studies in the literature. Laboratory implementation of some of these criteria was shown to be poorly reproducible. The 2001 Bethesda adequacy criteria were based on published data to the extent possible and were tailored to both conventional and liquid-based preparations. For this third edition of the TBS atlas, data and clinical experience regarding specimen adequacysince 2001 were reviewed, leading to the offering of additional guidance for special situations, such as assessing cellularity in specimens obtained from postradiation patients, interfering substances and human papillomavirus testing.