Diagnostic value of Cyto-pick compared to cotton swab sampling for uterine cervical neoplasm screening in pregnant women

Objective: The diagnostic value of Cyto-pick was compared to cotton swab sampling for uterine cervical neoplasm screening in pregnant women. Study Design: 83 cases of abnormal Pap. smear were included from a total of 4749 pregnant women examined at our hospital between January 1992 to December 1997. 53 of these cases were carefully followed throughout pregnancy by colposcopy and biopsy. The accuracy of Pap. smear cytological diagnosis with the correct histological diagnosis for the above two cytodiagnostic devices were compared in each case. Result: A total of 12 of 29 cytological specimens sampled by cotton swab (41.4%) compared to 18 of 24 cytological specimens sampled by Cyto-pick (75%) were in agreement with the histological diagnosis, with Cyto-pick giving significantly better accuracy for cytological diagnosis (p=0.0140, x-square test). This difference was especially marked in lesions diagnosed as carcinoma in situ or as more advanced lesions; the accuracy of cytological diagnosis by Cyto-pick sampling was 100% compared to an accuracy of only 33.3% by cotton swab. Conclusion: In pregnant women, Cyto-pick is a more accurate cytodiagnostic device in sampling for uterine cervical neoplasms compared to cotton swab.