HISTORY OF GYNECOLOGIC CYTOLOGY IN CROATIA

Prvi laboratorij za ginekološku citologiju u Hrvatskoj osnovan je 1953. godine u današnjoj Klinici za ženske bolesti i porode Kliničkog bolničkog centra (KBC) Zagreb. Prvi voditelj bio je ginekolog Eduard Baršić, a od 1959. liječnice koje se bave isključivo citologijom i postaju specijalisti kliničke citologije. Prva je Jasna Ivić, koja je na čelu laboratorija do 1990. godine i najzaslužnija je za visoki stupanj razvijenosti ginekološke citologije u Hrvatskoj. Godine 1984. laboratorij prerasta u Zavod za ginekološku citologiju. Pola stoljeća Zavod je, kao vodeći laboratorij u nas, u suradnji s drugim uglednim institucijama i stručnjacima, posebice s Odsjekom za citologiju i kliničku genetiku Klinike za ženske bolesti i porode KB »Merkur« iz Zagreba, inducirao i realizirao razvoj ginekološke citologije u stručnom, znanstvenom i nastavnom području i promicao ugled hrvatske ginekološke citologije u svijetu. Početkom ovog stoljeća tim putem snažnije su krenuli i Odjel ginekološke citologije Klinike za ginekologiju i porodništvo KBC Rijeka i Odjel za kliničku citologiju KB Osijek, svrstavajući se tako među naše vodeće laboratorije. U razdoblju od 1967. do 1974. godine u Hrvatskoj je osnovana organizirana nastava za citotehnologe (Tečaj za trajno usavršavanje citoskrinera 1968. godine) i citologe (Poslijediplomski studij iz Medicinske citologije 1967. godine i istoimena samostalna specijalizacija 1974. godine; studij i specijalizacija kasnije su preimenovani u Klinička citologija). Zahvaljujući dugogodišnjem radu 2005. godine u Hrvatskoj postoji razvijena ginekološka djelatnost s 33 laboratorija u kojima su 72 citotehnologa i 50 citologa analizirali 454 619 Papa testova. Taj potencijal ginekološke citologije od presudnog je značaja u sekundarnoj prevenciji raka vrata maternice sa ciljem smanjenja incidencije i mortaliteta, a u okviru dobro osmišljenog, organiziranog i kontroliranog nacionalnog probira u Hrvatskoj, koji bi uključio i nove metode, prvenstveno HPV tipizaciju.In Croatia, like in the rest of Europe, gynecologists were the first to perform microscopic analysis of cervical cytological specimens. The first laboratory headed by E. Baršić, a gynecologist, was established in 1953 at University Department of Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, now University Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Zagreb University Hospital Center. Jasna Ivić, MD was the first to devote exclusively to gynecologic cytology since 1959. In 1968, she was appointed Head of the Laboratory of cytology, which developed into Institute of Gynecological Cytology in 1984; Jasna Ivić organized cytology service in line with the principles adopted worldwide, and is most credited for the progress of gynecological cytology in Croatia. During the past fifty years, Institute of Gynecological Cytology in collaboration with other institutions, Department of Cytology and Clinical Genetics, University Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Merkur University Hospital – Zagreb in particular, has stimulated continuous development of gynecological cytology in the professional, scientific and educational aspects in Croatia, while promoting due recognition of the Croatian gynecological cytology abroad. At the beginning of the third millenium, these efforts have also been intensified at Department of Gynecological Cytology, University Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rijeka University Hospital Center and Department of Clinical Cytology, Osijek University Hospital, which also became the leading laboratories in the field in Croatia. In the period 1967–1974 organized education of cytotechnologists (Continuing education course for cytotechnologists in 1968) and cytologists (Postgraduate Study in Medical Cytology in 1967 and respective independent residency in 1974, both subsequently renamed as Clinical Cytology) was established. Both played a key role in the development of clinical as well as gynecological Cytology in Croatia. According to the Croatian Society of Clinical Cytology of the Croatian Medical Association (CMA) survey in 2005 454 619 Pap tests were performed by 72 cytotechnologists and 50 cytologists in 33 laboratories. This potential of gynecological cytology is of decisive importance in the secondary prevention of cervical carcinoma through properly designed, organized and controlled national screening programme to be carried out in Croatia, which should include new methods, HPV typing before all