Histologic features of 134 cases of human papilloma virus (HPV) cervical infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) were reviewed and correlated with colposcopic diagnosis on the basis of two different grading methods: International Nomenclature for Colposcopy showed 79.1% predictive accuracy and Reid's improved colposcopic index 86.6% of accurate predictions (significant difference at P less than 0.05). Overestimation difference was the most significant, with 23 overestimates in International Classification and 11 in Reid's score (P less than 0.01).