These two methods are different in their principle but produce similar preparations.
In LBC, samples are collected by completely immersing the sampling device into the company vial containing preservative fluid [Figure 1] unlike conventional smears where the sample is smeared on the slide and fixed separately.Jun 14, 2022.
Insert the cytobrush into the cervical os no further than the end of the bristles and rotate 90\xb0.
For SurePath: Snap off the head of the cytobrush (avoid touching the head of the device), and drop into the liquid vial (avoid splashing).
For ThinPrep: Rinse the cytobrush by swirling it vigorously in the vial 10 times..
LBC test is more specific than a Pap test in detecting cancerous cells.
The HPV test has a higher negative predictive value than a Pap test.
HPV test has a lower false-positive rate than a Pap test.
The HPV test is easier to read than a Pap test.Aug 2, 2021.
In addition, LBC has several other advantages over PAP smear as the material can be used in molecular studies, such as the detection of hrHPV.
Moreover, in the long run, LBC is also cost-effective in mass cervical cancer screening, as LBC is needed less frequently than the conventional PAP smear..
[1–4]Conventional smears (CS) pose the limitation of inadequate cellularity, obscuring hemorrhage, inflammation, mucus, and cellular overlapping, resulting in high false-negative rate ranging from 14% to 33%. [3–5] Liquid-based cytology (LBC) can improve the cellular and diagnostic yield and has completely replaced CS in the western world.
Liquid-based cytology is a method of preparing samples for examination in cytopathology.
The sample is collected, normally by a small brush, in the same way as for a conventional smear test, but rather than the smear being transferred directly to a microscope slide, the sample is deposited into a small bottle of preservative liquid.
CS = conventional smears, LBC = liquid-based cytology The cell morphology was well preserved in all samples, and none of the samples showed necrosis, air-drying, or degenerative changes by either CS or LBC.
The statistical analysis was not possible due to identical results in both.
Conversely, because only a representative sample of cells is present, dyskaryotic cell populations may be represented by many fewer cells in an LBC preparation.
All small single cells with high N:C ratios need to be examined carefully at high power to ensure that scanty high-grade dyskaryotic cells are not overlooked.
