Cervical Cytology
- Georges Papanicolaou
The traditional cervical smear
The traditional cervical smear is done in much the same way today as it was when it was invented by Georges Papanicolaou in 1943. During a short vaginal exam, your doctor collects a sample of cells from your cervix using a small brush or spatula. These cells are spread on a glass microscope slide which is sent to the laboratory where it is examined on a microscope to find any abnormal cells. If any are found, they will be graded according to the severity of the abnormalities seen. This grading helps the doctor to decide on the best follow-up. A report will be sent to your doctor who will then send a letter to you to tell you about the results and what you should do next.
Liquid based cytology (LBC)
Liquid based cytology (LBC) is a newer method for preparing the cervical smear. The main difference between LBC and the traditional cervical smear is that the cervical cells are placed directly into a vial of preservative liquid, instead of being spread on a glass microscope slide. So, from the woman’s perspective, little has changed. The vaginal exam is the same and the sample of cervical cells is collected in the same way as the traditional cervical smear. But then the brush or spatula is placed in a vial of preservative liquid that is sent to the laboratory where the glass microscope slide is prepared. From this point on, the microscope slide is handled in much the same way as the traditional cervical smear and then it is examined on a microscope to see if any abnormal cells are present. If any are found, they will be graded according to the severity of the abnormalities seen and a report will be sent to your doctor.
