Comparing the accuracy of ThinPrep Pap tests and conventional Papanicolaou smears on the basis of the histologic diagnosis: a clinical study of women with cervical abnormalities.
OBJECTIVE
To confirm that the ThinPrep Pap test (TP) is as effective as or more effective than the conventional Papanicolaou smear (CS) in detecting epithelial cell abnormalities in a population with cervical abnormalities.


METHODS
In a blinded, split-sample, matched-pair study, a CS was prepared using a cytobrush, and then TP slides were prepared from the remainder of the sample. All slides were evaluated as defined and classified by the Bethesda System. The results of the two cytologic tests were compared in 483 women relative to the histologic diagnoses of subsequent colposcopically directed cervical biopsies in 158 cases.


RESULTS
The cytologic diagnoses from the two methods agreed exactly in 91.4% of cases. The comparison between the two cytologic diagnoses with reference to the histologic diagnosis of subsequent colposcopically directed cervical biopsies showed that TP was significantly more specific for diagnosing lesions than was CS. The sensitivity of the two methods was equivalent.


CONCLUSIONS
In a population with cervical abnormalities, TP is more specific than and as effective as CS in detecting cervical epithelial cell abnormalities. TP improved the specificity of disease detection by reducing the atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance category and/or false positive cases.
Park
I A
IA
Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital and Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea. iapark@plaza.snu.ac.kr
Lee
S N
SN
Chae
S W
SW
Park
K H
KH
Kim
J W
JW
Lee
H P
HP
D001706:Biopsy; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods*