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UNIVERSITY
OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL CENTER INTRODUCES THINPREP® PAP
TEST
ATHENS,
Ohio -- A replacement to the 50-year-old Pap smear, the
traditional method of screening for cervical cancer, is now
available for the first time in an Athens County laboratory
at the University Osteopathic Medical Center (UOMC). The
ThinPrep® Pap Test™ sets a new standard for women's
health care by improving the detection of low-grade and more
severe lesions and reducing the need for unnecessary repeat
tests.
The
ThinPrep Pap Test improves the detection of low-grade and
more severe lesions by 65 percent over the conventional Pap
smear in screening populations and by 6 percent in high risk
populations. The ThinPrep Pap Test also improves the quality
of slides, resulting in up to 50 percent more slides
suitable for diagnostic review. Fewer compromised Pap slides
can reduce the need for repeat tests.
"The
ThinPrep Pap Test gives us more control over the quality of
the patient's sample," said Gwen Kellogg, Manager of
Laboratory Services at the UOMC. "By addressing the
limitations of the old method, we can start the screening
process with a better quality slide."
The key to
the success of the ThinPrep Pap Test lies in the sample
preparation after it is collected. The physician collects
the sample in the same manner; however, rather than smearing
the cervical tissue onto a slide, the physician simply
rinses the collection device in a vial of preservative
solution. The sample is then sent to the laboratory, where
an instrument disperses and filters the sample to reduce
blood, mucus and inflammation. A thin, even layer of
cervical cells is then applied to a slide, resulting in a
uniform sample preparation ready for microscopic
examination.
"By
eliminating many of the obscuring elements from the slide,
we can gain a clearer look into what is going on in the
patient's sample," continued Mrs. Kellogg. "And, when we
improve the quality of the specimen preparation, the
physician is able to better determine what action to take.
This clarity can also prevent some of the anxiety patients
experience from being called back for more tests."
The
University Osteopathic Medical Center is the only center in
Athens County to provide the ThinPrep Pap Test which places
the UOMC at the forefront of providers with the latest
women's healthcare technology.
This new
technology was developed by Cytyc Corporation, a leader in
the development of cytology products for the study of human
cells. Cytyc's headquarters, research, development and
manufacturing facilities are located in Boxborough,
Massachusetts.
The UOMC
and its five southeastern Ohio clinic locations provide area
women with convenient and comprehensive healthcare services.
The medical center is a multi-specialty, outpatient clinic
made up of more than 60 physicians who also serve as the
faculty for the Ohio University College of Osteopathic
Medicine. Physicians at the medical center practice in a
variety of specialties including obstetrics and gynecology,
pediatrics, family medicine, geriatric medicine, cardiology
and vascular medicine, ENT (ear, nose and throat), internal
medicine, nephrology, orthopedics, OMM (osteopathic
manipulative medicine), pathology, rheumatology and
surgery.
For more
information about women's health care services at the
University Osteopathic Medical Center, please call Tia
Trivison at (740) 593-9572.
Read
more:
Facts About Women's Reproductive Health and Cervical
Cancer.
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