A comparison of liquid-based cytology with conventional Papanicolaou smears in cervical dysplasia diagnosis

Background and Aim : Due to the high number of women affected by cervical cancer and the importanceof an early diagnosis, combined with the frequent incidence of false-negative Papanicolaou (Pap) smearscreening results for this disease, several studies have been conducted in recent years in order to find bettertests. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) tests, including the liquid-based thin layer method, have demonstratedthe highest potential for reducing false-negative cases and improved sample quality. This study aimed tocompare the strength of the Pap smear test with fluid cytology and conventional tests in detecting cervicaldysplasia.Methods : This descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 366 women who attended private laboratoriesfor a Pap smear. The Pap smear sampling was conducted simultaneously using two methods: conventionalPap (CP) smear and LBC), from the cervix.Results : The mean age of the participants was 32 ± 8.8 years. Diagnostic results of endocervical cells,epithelial cells, vaginitis cells, and metaplastia were consistent with both conventional and liquid cytologysmears, and the kappa coefficient was determined to be significant (P < 0.001). In total, 40.5% of diagnosticcases indicated bacterial inflammation 80.3% of the diagnoses in both methods were P1 and 3.9% of casesdiagnosed were P2, the overall diagnostic consistency was 83.9% between the two sampling methods. Theinflammation diagnosis was 40.5% and this was consistent in both methods of LBC and CP. There was onecase of a false-negative diagnosis in the LBC method and 14 cases in the CP method.Conclusion : Results showed that the LBC may improve the sample s quality and reduce the number ofunsatisfactory cases more than with the CP method.

Keywords:

Cervical dysplasia , liquid-based cytology , Papanicolaou smears examination