atypia
Not quite normal
Atypia is the medical term for cells that appear abnormal under microscopic examination.
The word appears most often in pathology reports describing tissue samples: The biopsy showed mild atypia.
Atypia doesn't necessarily indicate cancer—cells may be atypical due to inflammation, infection, or precancerous changes—but it often prompts further testing or monitoring.
Abnormal tissue formation
- neoplasiaAbnormal tissue proliferation
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
- metaplasiaTissue type transformation
- hyperplasiaExcessive cell multiplication
precancerous · malignancy · adenoma · lesion · mitosis · transformation · progression · regression
Tissue sample for diagnosis
- cytologyStudy of cells
- histologyStudy of tissue structure
- pathologyStudy of disease processes
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
cytogenetics · screening · Pap smear · microscopy · staining · specimen · smear · aspirate
Central controlling part
- chromatinNuclear protein-wrapped genetic material
- mitosisNuclear division producing identical cells
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- enlargementIncrease in size
irregularity · clumping · inclusion · polymorphism · epithelial · glandular · squamous
State of being unsure
- indeterminateNot exactly known
- equivocalUncertain in meaning
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
- suspiciousInclined to distrust
reactive · regenerative · inflammatory · degenerative · artifactual · mimicker · false positive · overdiagnosis
dysplasia
Abnormal tissue formation
- neoplasiaAbnormal tissue proliferation
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
- metaplasiaTissue type transformation
hyperplasia · precancerous · malignancy · adenoma · lesion · mitosis · transformation · progression · regression · benign
biopsy
Tissue sample for diagnosis
morphology · cytogenetics · screening · Pap smear · microscopy · staining · specimen · smear · aspirate · interpretation
nucleus
Central controlling part
- chromatinNuclear protein-wrapped genetic material
- mitosisNuclear division producing identical cells
- membraneThin tissue sheet
enlargement · irregularity · clumping · inclusion · polymorphism · epithelial · glandular · squamous
uncertainty
State of being unsure
- indeterminateNot exactly known
- equivocalUncertain in meaning
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
suspicious · reactive · regenerative · inflammatory · degenerative · artifactual · mimicker · false positive · overdiagnosis · underdiagnosis