What is the difference between Pap smear and ThinPrep?

In the traditional Pap test, cell samples are obtained from the vagina, cervix, and cervical canal and spread on a glass slide. In the ThinPrep Pap test, cell samples are collected using a special brush that is immediately washed in a special fluid.

Is ThinPrep same as Pap smear?

Clinical trials indicate that the ThinPrep Pap Test is 65% more effective than the conventional Pap smear in detecting cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. Cervical cancer accounts for 6% of all cancers in women, with an estimated 16,000 new cases and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.

Why is the ThinPrep test more effective than conventional Pap smear tests?

The main difference between the two tests is how the cells are prepared for evaluation. The Food and Drug Administration has allowed ThinPrep’s maker, Hologic, to promote the test as being more effective at revealing early and more advanced abnormalities in the cervix.

What is a better test than Pap smear?

The new cervical screening test is more accurate than the Pap smear test and the best test available for the prevention of most cases of cervical cancer.

What is Thin Prep?

INTENDED USE. PreservCyt® Solution is designed for use with the ThinPrep® processors. PreservCyt Solution is a methanol-based reagent that serves as a transport, preservative, and antibacterial medium for gynecologic samples.

What does a ThinPrep Pap test for?

The ThinPrep® Pap test helps healthcare providers detect the presence of abnormal cervical cells, and the Aptima HPV assays identify high-risk HPV mRNA that is indicative of the HPV infections most likely to lead to cervical disease.

Does ThinPrep test for STDS?

Testing for Pap, HPV, and STD (gonorrhea and chlamydia) can all be performed using a single ThinPrep® vial.

What is the difference between conventional and liquid based Pap smear?

Background: Liquid-based cervical cytology was developed to improve the diagnostic reliability of Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. Conventional Pap smears can have false-negative and false-positive results because of inadequate sampling and slide preparation, and errors in laboratory detection and interpretation.

What is the false negative rate for conventional Pap smears?

For any screening test there is an inherent false negative rate, which is approximately 10 to 20 percent for Pap smears. Despite the false negative tests, the success of the cervical cytology screening program has led patients to expect 100 percent accuracy.

What is negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy?

Negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) means that no pre-cancerous or cancerous cells were seen in your Pap smear. It is a normal result.


At what age does a woman no longer need a Pap smear?

Pap smears typically continue throughout a woman’s life, until she reaches the age of 65, unless she has had a hysterectomy. If so, she no longer needs Pap smears unless it is done to test for cervical or endometrial cancer).

Why are Pap smears only every 3 years?

Women ages 21 to 29 should have a Pap smear every three years to test for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. This is a shift from the “Pap smear once a year” mentality of decades past. Thanks to an abundance of research, we now know that yearly Pap smears aren’t necessary for a majority of women.

Can you get a Pap smear if you’re a virgin?

Yes. Doctors recommend routine cervical cancer screening, regardless of your sexual history. Tests used to screen for cervical cancer include the Pap test and the HPV test.

How long can a ThinPrep PAP sit?

A: Yes, with a written order. Tests can be added on to the ThinPrep vial for up to 30 days after specimen receipt in the laboratory. Cobas and OneSwab specimens are held for 30 days, during which additional testing can also be added on. Serum is held for seven days for additional testing.

How do you make a ThinPrep?

Insert the brush into the cervix until only the bottom- most fibers are exposed. Slowly rotate 1/4 or 1/2 turn in one direction. DO NOT OVER-ROTATE. …the brush as quickly as possible in the PreservCyt Solution by rotating the device in the solution 10 times while pushing against the PreservCyt vial wall.

What does HPV 16 and 18 negative mean?

A positive result indicates the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA due to 1 or more of the following genotypes: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68. A negative result indicates the absence of HPV DNA of the targeted genotypes.