title: Evaluation of PAPNET system for rescreening of negative cervical smears.
abstract: We rescreened 2,238 cervicovaginal smears conventionally prepared with Papanicolaou stain by PAPNET system. The slides screened manually as negative, were sent to PAPNET system. The image tapes were reviewed on a high-resolution monitor, and categorized as negative, unsatisfactory, and atypical. All atypical cases were rescreened manually. Abnormal cases were reviewed by a cytopathologist. Two-thousand one hundred and two (94%) cases rescreened by PAPNET were negative. Nine of 45 unsatisfactory cases by PAPNET were unsatisfactory by manual review. Ninety-one (4.0%) cases by PAPNET were atypical. On manual rescreening, 86 of 91 were negative, 20% showing benign cellular changes; five of 91 were atypical, the atypia, however, not exceeding low-grade category. The detection rate by PAPNET method was 0.2% (five of 2,238 cases). We conclude: 1) In a cytology laboratory with good quality control, PAPNET rescreening does not significantly increase the detection rate. 2) For cytology laboratories without in-house rescreening, PAPNET offers an alternative at a price. 3) The PAPNET system also offers a tool by which a laboratory can occasionally monitor its performance. 4) The cost benefit analysis of the system requires further study and scrutiny.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 75235-9072, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ashfaq
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Saboorian
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*