R87.6: Abnormal findings in specimens from female genital organs Abnormal findings on cytological examination

Fluid from your female genitals was examined. Altered cells have been detected in your sample.

The internal female genital organs include the uterus, the fallopian tubes and ovaries. The vagina is also one of the internal genital organs and goes from the uterus to the outside of the body. The external female genital organs include the labia, the clitoris and the skin around the vagina. Fluid from your uterus or vagina may have been examined, for example.

The sample of the examined fluid normally only contains a certain amount of different substances. These substances include certain cells and certain proteins, for example.

Altered cells have been detected in your sample. A smear from the lining of your uterus may have been taken. The uterus or womb sits in the pelvis and is pear-shaped. The narrower part extends downward into the vagina and is called the cervix. When a woman is pregnant, the child grows in her uterus. You usually look closely at the cells under a microscope. The cells are usually stained beforehand so that any changes can be detected more easily. Altered cells have a different shape or size, for example. The amount of altered cells is also significant.

If the amount of substances in the sample has changed, this can sometimes be an indication of disease. The results can also depend on when the sample is taken or how the sample is stored until it is examined, for example.