Diagnostic efficacy and validity of the ThinPrep method in cervical cytology.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy of the ThinPrep method, an automated, fluid-based technique for the collection and preparation of exfoliated and aspirated cells in cervical cytology.


METHODS
A total of 251 patients participated. From each patient a sample was obtained by scraping with a wooden spatula, split and prepared with both conventional Papanicolaou and ThinPrep methods. In the ThinPrep processor, epithelial cells were homogenized in a vial of preservative solution and randomly sampled onto a microscopic slide. From a single vial of sample suspension a series of 10 ThinPrep slides of the same quality were made. All cells were concentrated within an approximately 20-mm-diameter circle in a uniform, thin layer on the ThinPrep slide.


RESULTS
Twenty-five percent of the screening area, 10% of the epithelial cells observed and 50% of the screening time were required to arrive at a final diagnosis as compared with the Papanicolaou smear. Virtually complete concurrence was ascertained between the Papanicolaou and ThinPrep diagnoses, for direct agreement of 95.3% and agreement within one diagnostic grade of 99.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
An overall improvement was ascertained in the preparation of microscopic slides and the recognition of abnormal cells with the ThinPrep method.
Tezuka
F
F
Department of Pathology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
Oikawa
H
H
Shuki
H
H
Higashiiwai
H
H
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards