Your nurse uses a soft brush to take some samples of cells from the surface of your cervix.
They put the sample into a pot of liquid to send to the laboratory.
They take out the speculum and the test is over.
You can then get dressed and go home..
CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING TESTS
Cervical screening tests such as conventional cytology (PAP smear), liquid based cytology (LBC), human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, and visual inspection on acetic acid (VIA) can detect cervical precancerous lesions in apparently healthy, asymptomatic women..
Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) is a new technique for collecting cytological samples in order to detect cervical cancer.
With conventional cytology a smear taker takes a sample that is applied directly to a slide for microscopic investigation..
Cytology is a specific test; if a high-grade abnormality is found, the likelihood of precancer is high.
However, it is not a sensitive test; 30% to 50% of precancers are missed with each screening round. 39, 40 Because of the low sensitivity, frequently repeated cytology testing over decades is needed to prevent cancer. 41, 42 .
