What is cervical liquid-based cytology?

Currently, when doing cervical liquid-based cytology examination, TCT technology is generally used to classify and diagnose the cells according to the condition. This examination method is a relatively advanced examination method. When doing this examination, it can be used to determine whether there is local cancer, as well as Trichomonas, viruses, fungi or Chlamydia, etc. Compared with the traditional cervical smear examination, this examination method has a higher accuracy rate, which can even reach 100%.

What is cervical liquid-based cytology?

The cervical liquid-based cytology test is a type of cervical cancer screening, namely the TCT test, which is an examination performed by using a soft brush to collect cervical exfoliated cells to determine whether there are abnormal cells. The main purpose of the examination is to screen for precancerous lesions and early cervical cancer. If abnormal cells are found, they must be treated promptly.

In general, a comprehensive analysis should be conducted in conjunction with HPV, because HPV testing is also a very important test. Persistent HPV infection can cause cervical precancerous lesions and even cervical cancer. Therefore, even for healthy women, it is recommended to have TCT and HPV tests at least once a year to detect cervical diseases early and treat them as soon as possible. Before cervical cancer screening, you are required to abstain from sexual intercourse and vaginal douching for 3 days, and avoid the menstrual period for examination.

The significance of cervical liquid-based cytology examination

Liquid-based testing has significantly improved the quality of testing cervical cell samples. Conventional Pap smears are often blurred by blood, mucus, inflammation and other factors, resulting in detection errors. In clinical trials, the number of cervical cell samples tested in liquid-based tests can significantly increase the detection rate of cancerous cells and correspondingly reduce the number of times the Pap test needs to be repeated, thereby reducing unnecessary concerns among patients caused by having to retest. The reduction of errors in routine Pap smears will inevitably bring the detection of early-stage cancer to a new level and enable those patients with early-stage cancer to receive earlier and more effective treatment.

Preparation for cervical liquid-based cytology test

First, do not have sexual intercourse for 24 hours before a cervical liquid-based cytology test. If you have sexual intercourse, after the liquid-based image is taken, there will be a large amount of sperm on the surface, which may easily cover the diseased cells and cause missed diagnosis.

The second point is that you should not do vaginal douching 24 to 48 hours before doing a cervical liquid-based cytology test. During the vaginitis treatment, you may need to use some vaginal suppositories, but they should be discontinued 24 to 48 hours before the operation, and no additional vaginal examinations should be performed.

Third, if there is cervicitis, you need to control the cervical inflammation before doing a liquid-based cytology test. Last but not least, it is generally not recommended for female patients to undergo liquid-based cytology testing during menstruation.