[Normal cells and dykaryoses in vaginal smears using a high- resolution system for quantitative analysis].

In pap-stained cervical smears the cells were identified, destained and afterwards stained according to the Feulgen procedure. The measurements of the nuclei were performed on a scanning microscope photometer and 4 features were extracted for cell classification: total DNA-amount, nuclear area, degree of condensation of chromatin and granularity of chromatin. The comparison and separation of the cell groups was performed at the Computing Center of the Univ. of Ulm by 2 programs, a discriminant analysis and a specially adapted histogram. The distinction of normal cells and dyscaryoses was possible to a high degree by the features total DNA-amount and nuclear area; the 2 parameters describing the chromatin structure proved to be useless in these cases. Nuclear structure parameters were helpful in distinguishing certain types of normal cells.