Norway to reimburse liquid-based cytology for cervical cancer screening
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Norwegian cervical screening programme has begun reimbursing liquid-based cytology (LBC), paving the way for this technique to replace the traditional Pap test. During a Pap test, a cervical sample is smeared onto a slide and then analysed. LBC samples are collected in a similar way, but the cervical cells are rinsed off into a vial of preservative fluid before being sent to the lab. The method could reduce the number of inadequate samples and, consequently, the number of women who need to return for repeat testing. The UK converted to LBC testing in 2008 (www.clinica.co.uk, 9 May 2008). Available LBC tests include Hologic's ThinPrep and Source BioScience Healthcare's SurePath system.