Reference Manual - IARC Screening Group

Tests for Cervical Cancer ScreeningDEFINITION/MECHANISM OFACTIONCervicographyPROCEDURE BENEFITS LIMITATIONSSpecialized camera used tophotograph the cervix.Film developed at lab andphotographs interpreted byspecially trained personnel.Used primarily as anadjunct to Pap smear, butmay be primary screeningmethodResults reported as:Normal• LGSIL• HGSIL• CancerProcedure is described towoman• Reason• Procedure (what toexpect)• FollowupInsert the speculumView the cervixWash the cervix with a5% acetic acid solutionPhotograph the cervixusing Cerviscope,being careful to includea view of the SCJSend the film to aproprietary laboratory,where it will bedeveloped andinterpreted by speciallytrained staff and bothfilm and results sentback to the siteMeets some of the criteriaof a good screening test• Practical• Treatment exists• Sensitive/specificAccording tomanufacturer and otherpublished studies,sensitivity and specificityare acceptable to someclinicians andpolicymakersPermanent recordavailable in form ofphotographRequires purchase ofcamera and service fromlicensed processingfacility (cost of camera =$2,000)Camera may be difficultto maintain/repairRequires infrastructure tosend film to developmentfacility and to receiveresultsDelayed reporting ofresults(see Pap smear)See and treat not possibleTwo-dimensionalrepresentation of a threedimensionalobjectPhotograph may not“sample” entire cervixA-2 Cervical Cancer Prevention Guidelines for Low-Resource Settings