Accuracy of a slide profiler for endocervical cell detection in no-further-review conventional Pap smears.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the reliability of the Focal-Point slide profiler (TriPath Care Technologies, Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A.) in determing the absence of endocervical cells in conventional Pap smear slides.


METHODS
A consecutive series of conventional Pap smears, designated by FocalPoint as requiring no further review (NFR) and as lacking endocervical cells, was manually screened to determine the true presence or absence of endocervical cells. These results were compared to those obtained by FocalPoint.


RESULTS
From January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2001, FocalPoint indicated that 797 NFR slides did not contain endocervical cells. In contrast, manual screening revealed that 504/797 (63.2%) did contain endocervical cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The reliability of a negative FocalPoint determination for endocervical cells is limited. Manual screening of NFR slides designated by the instrument as lacking endocervical cells appears to be necessary.
Rowe
Leslie R
LR
Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, LLC, Associated Regional and University Pathologists Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Marshall
C Jay
CJ
Berry
Michael
M
Larson
Melissa A
MA
Bentz
Joel S
JS
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*