Effectiveness of the ThinPrep Imaging System in the detection of abnormal cervicovaginal cytology: a practical experience in Korea

Acta Cytol. 2013;57(2):159-63. doi: 10.1159/000345103. Epub 2013 Feb 28.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report our experience with the implementation of the ThinPrep Imaging System (TIS) in a tertiary hospital in Korea and to evaluate the effectiveness of the TIS compared to manual methods in the screening of cervical cytology.

Study design: Detection rates of cervical abnormalities in the pre- and post-TIS periods (January 2009 to February 2010 and March 2010 to December 2010, respectively) were compared. Follow-up cytological and histological results with concurrent or subsequent human papillomavirus (HPV) tests were retrieved.

Results: ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, and HSIL were more frequently detected in the post-TIS period than in the pre-TIS period (p < 0.005). The proportions of correlated cases of ASC-US were 42.2 and 40.4% in the pre- and post-TIS periods, respectively. The detection rates of high-risk types of HPV in ASC-US were not significantly different between the two groups. The proportion of correlated biopsy for ASC-H, LSIL, and HSIL was similar in both periods. HPV positivity for ASC-H, LSIL, and HSIL showed no significant change between the two periods.

Conclusion: The TIS is potentially useful for the detection of abnormal cervical cytology on the basis of the increased detection rate of squamous cell abnormalities, with a relatively similar proportion of correlated cases compared to the manual screening method.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Adenocarcinoma / virology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / virology
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Equipment Design
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Papillomaviridae / classification
  • Papillomaviridae / isolation & purification
  • Papillomavirus Infections / pathology*
  • Papillomavirus Infections / virology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Republic of Korea
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / virology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology
  • Vaginal Smears / instrumentation*