Normal cell content of cervical smears, contaminants and artifacts. Adequacy and unsatisfactory smears
Normal Cell Content
Basic Smear Patterns
Smear adequacy: The unsatisfactory smear

 

Normal cell content

A cervical smear  which has been correctly  taken with a spatula or other smear taking device contains a variety of cells trapped in the cervical mucus. The epithelial cells may have been exfoliated spontaneously or detached forcibly by the spatula from the region of the external os.

A smear from a normal cervix will contain:

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