Effectiveness of Colposcopy in the Detection of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasias and its Correlation with a Histopathological Examination Report

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to screen women who have an unhealthy cervix by cytology and correlate the findings with colposcopy, and colposcopic-directed biopsies. Materials and methods: This is a prospective study conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Mamata Medical College, Khammam, from October 2011 to June 2013. A total of 100 cases who fulfilled the selection criteria were included in the study. All the women enrolled in the study underwent a pap smear, colposcopy, and a colposcopic-directed biopsy. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, false-positive rate, false-negative rate, and accuracy were calculated for the Pap smear and colposcopy, with the colpscopic-directed biopsy taken as the gold standard. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the Pap smear were found to be 54.3% and 96.2%, respectively, and those of the colposcopy were 76.1% and 96.2%, respectively. The colposcopy showed a higher sensitivity than did the Pap smear. The specificity and positive predictive value of the Pap smear and colposcopy was comparable, whereas the accuracy of the colposcopy was higher than that of the Pap smear. Conclusion: Most of the women were in the age group of 31–40 years. The most common symptom was a recurrent white discharge per vagina. Colposcopy was useful in detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasias. Colposcopy and cytology used together in patients with cervical lesions have a higher chance of detecting squamous intraepithelial lesions/malignancy than when either procedure used alone.