[Foundations for differential cytology of cervical changes. 2. Benign changes (author's transl)]

Causative relationships between various benign changes of the uterine cervix are discussed with reference to literature, and resulting cytomorphological substrates are presented in illustrations. Cytomorphological pictures obtained from good preparation practice often have been helpful in drawing proper conclusions as to causes of benign changes and in clarifying clinical patterns or portio changes which escaped macroscopic elucidation. Such changes may include inflammatory or degenerative lesions of differentiated aetiology, metaplastic processes in so-called transformation zones or at squamocolumnar junctions or abnormal cornification. As a rule, benign changes may be delimitated from atypical cell changes by the examiner who is aware of all direct and indirect cytological criteria.