Pap test slides evaluated by computer-assisted methodology is believed to be more precise than manual reading. We validate the use of computer-assisted technology for Pap test reading for implementation in a public health service.
We evaluated prospectively 12,084 PapTest from women examined at Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo, with median age of 42 years old. The cervical samples were preserved in BD-SurePath liquid medium and prepared in BD Totallys equipment. The slides were primarily read by Focalpoint system (BD, Burlignton, USA) and afterwards 10 selected fields were revised by well-trained cytotechnologists and cytopathologists.
Manual slide reading identified 112 (0.9%) ASC-H, 329 (2.7%) LSIL, 70 (0.6%) HSIL and 2 (0.00%) invasive squamous cells carcinoma. Focalpoint quintiles classified the two invasive cancer in Q1 and almost 90% of HSIL and almost 85% of ASC-H in in Q1 and Q2, respectively. One HISL was classified as Q5 and detected in manual reading. Negative Pap test results were similarly distributed among all quintiles. Miscellaneous accounted 890 (7.4%).
Computer-assisted screening can drastically reduce the need for manual Pap test reading, which may safely increase productivity.
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