What is a cervical examination?

Cervical examination does not refer to a single examination, but a combination of multiple examinations. It is also a comprehensive examination to know whether there is a possibility of lesions inside your cervix. Among them, biopsy will be more important. If you do not undergo a biopsy, the examination results will become very one-sided. There is no way to know the specific condition through examination, which will easily lead to misdiagnosis.

Use a sterile long cotton swab to take a small amount of leucorrhea from the posterior fornix, place it on a glass slide containing 1-2 drops of normal saline, and immediately examine it under a microscope. The uterine cavity is expanded with a distending medium, and a cold light source is introduced into the uterine cavity through a hysteroscope via a fiberoptic light guide and lens. The cervical canal, internal cervical os, endometrium and fallopian tube opening are directly observed so that the diseased tissue can be sampled intuitively and accurately for pathological examination. Contrast agent is injected into the uterine cavity and fallopian tube through a catheter, and X-ray fluoroscopy and radiography are performed to determine whether the fallopian tube is unobstructed, the location of obstruction, and the morphology of the uterine cavity based on the visualization of the contrast agent in the fallopian tube and pelvic cavity.

A cervical biopsy is a biopsy of the cervix, which means taking a small piece or several pieces of tissue from the cervix for pathological examination to confirm the diagnosis. It is mostly used when there is suspicion of cervical cancer, or suspected cancer cells in cervical scrapings, or suspected specific inflammation, such as cervical tuberculosis. A cervical biopsy can confirm the diagnosis and determine treatment. Cervical biopsy is the most reliable basis for diagnosing cervical cancer. Whether it is early or late stage cervical cancer, this examination must be performed to determine the pathological type and degree of cell differentiation of the cancer.

1. Cervical and endocervical canal biopsy is the most reliable and indispensable method for diagnosing cervical cancer and its precancerous lesions. The following points should be noted during cervical biopsy:

① It is advisable to perform multiple-point biopsy under iodine staining or colposcopy.

② The materials include the lesion and surrounding tissues, including both epithelial tissue and mesenchymal tissue.

③ Repeat biopsy or incisional biopsy should be performed when clinical or cytological suspicion is present.

2. Endocervical curettage, in which endocervical tissue is scraped for pathological examination, helps to determine whether there are lesions in the endocervical canal and whether CIN or cancer involves the endocervical canal, but there is currently no consensus on whether this should be a routine examination. Indications for endocervical curettage are:

① Pre- and postmenopausal women with abnormal cytology or clinical suspicion, especially when adenocarcinoma is suspected.

② Colposcopic lesions involve the cervical canal.