Colposcopy what do they look for

By looking through it, the colposcopist can see changes that may be too small to see with the naked eye. They can take samples biopsies of any abnormal areas on the cervix. You have a colposcopy if you've had an abnormal result after a cervical screening test, or if you have symptoms that could be caused by cervical cancer. To have the colposcopy, you need to undress from the waist down. Your nurse will give you a sheet to cover yourself. You lie on your back on the couch with your feet drawn up and your knees apart.

If you can't get into that position for any reason, the colposcopist may be able to do the examination with you lying on your side with your knees drawn up. Your nurse will help you to get in a comfortable position. The colposcopist gently puts in a speculum to open up your vagina.

Then they look through the colposcope at the surface of your cervix. They can take biopsies of any abnormal areas. They send these to the laboratory to be looked at.

The examination takes up to 20 minutes. If your doctor or specialist nurse finds an area of abnormal cells, you might have treatment there and then.

They call this see and treat. Or they may wait until they have the biopsy results. Before you leave hospital make sure you know how you will be given the results. You may be asked to go back to the hospital for an outpatient appointment to get the results. A special instrument called a colposcope gives your doctor a lighted, highly magnified view of the tissues that make up your cervix, vagina, and vulva. The colposcope is placed close to the body, but it does not enter the body.

A pap test , also called a pap smear, involves gathering a sample of cells from your cervix and testing them for early changes that can lead to cervical cancer. If your pap test showed some abnormal cells and you tested positive for HPV , a colposcopy can help confirm and diagnose potential problems.

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a virus that may raise your risk for certain types of cancer, including cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Your doctor may also recommend a colposcopy if you have symptoms or signs of cervical, vaginal, or vulvar cancer. A colposcopy can be done in the office of your primary care doctor or your gynecologist.

An instrument called a speculum will be inserted inside your vagina to open it up and give your doctor a clearer view of your cervix.

Your cervix, vagina, and vulva will be lightly wiped with a vinegar or iodine solution that helps your doctor better see abnormal areas. The colposcope is positioned between your legs as close to your vagina as possible, but it never goes inside your body. During the colposcopy, your doctor may perform a biopsy on areas that look unhealthy.

A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination by a pathologist. A pathologist can identify abnormal cells by looking at the tissue sample under a microscope. While a colposcopy can suggest that you have cancer or precancerous tissue, only a biopsy can actually make a diagnosis. If an abnormal area is small, your doctor may be able to remove all of it during the biopsy.

For example, 1 common biopsy method of cervical tissue uses an instrument to pinch off small pieces of suspicious areas. You may feel pinching or discomfort similar to menstrual cramps during some biopsy types. Sometimes a local anesthetic is used to numb the area before the biopsy. A higher number means a higher risk of cancer developing if the cells are not removed. Treatment to remove abnormal cells is recommended if there's a moderate or high chance of the cells becoming cancerous if left untreated.

There are several simple and effective treatments that can be used to remove the abnormal cells, including:. LLETZ is usually carried out while you're awake but your cervix is numbed. You can go home the same day. A cone biopsy is usually done under general anaesthetic where you're asleep and you may need to stay in hospital overnight. Page last reviewed: 30 December Next review due: 30 December When a colposcopy may be needed You may be referred for a colposcopy within a few weeks of cervical screening if: some of the cells in your screening sample are abnormal the nurse or doctor who carried out the screening test thought your cervix did not look as healthy as it should it was not possible to give you a clear result after several screening tests A colposcopy can also be used to find out the cause of problems such as unusual vaginal bleeding for example, bleeding after sex.

What happens during a colposcopy A colposcopy is usually carried out in a hospital clinic. During the procedure: you undress from the waist down a loose skirt may not need to be removed and lie down in a chair with padded supports for your legs a device called a speculum is inserted into your vagina and gently opened a microscope with a light is used to look at your cervix — this does not touch or enter your body liquids are applied to your cervix to highlight any abnormal areas a small sample of tissue a biopsy may be removed for closer examination in a laboratory — this may be a bit uncomfortable If it's obvious that you have abnormal cells in your cervix, you may have treatment to remove the cells immediately.