Comments on the Publication of Munich Nomenclature III by the Cytology Coordination Conference

The Bethesda system (TBS) for the classification of Pap smears was introduced in 1988 because, at the time, several different classification systems were being used in parallel, leading to greater numbers of unspecific diagnoses requiring subsequent triaging and resulting in higher costs. The TBS was revised in 1991 and in 2001; it has been used in the USA and many other countries since 12 years and has not been revised since then.

The German Cytology Coordination Conference (KoKoZyt) has translated the TBS into German to bring the cytological nomenclature used in Germany into line with international terminology; it is referred to as “Munich Nomenclature III for the Cytological Diagnosis of Cervical Pap smears, as of 1 July 2014 ([1], cf. http://www.ag-cpc.de, website of the German Society for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy). We welcome this approach as this permits international comparisons of findings.

• References

• 1 http://www.ag-cpc.de/media/131218-mnomenklaturiii.pdf
• 2 Solomon D, Schiffman M, Kurman R et al. The 2001 Bethesda system: terminology for reporting results of cervical cytology. JAMA 2002; 287: 2114-2119
• 3 Massad LS, Einstein MH, Huh WK et al. 2012 updated consensus guidelines for the management of abnormal cervical cancer screening tests and cancer precursors. Obstet Gynecol 2013; 121: 829-846