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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Cell Block Preparation from Cytology Specimen with Predominance of Individually Scattered Cells
Published on: July 21, 2009
Cervical cytology: a randomized comparison of four sampling methods
M L McCord1, T G Stovall, J L Meric
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38103.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to compare smear quality and endocervical cell recovery of four cervical smear sampling devices.
Study Design:
Two thousand fifteen patients undergoing routine cervical smears at the University of Tennessee Obstetrics and Gynecology clinics were randomly assigned to a cotton swab-spatula, Cytobrush-spatula, Cervex-Brush, or Bayne Pap Brush. The cytopathology laboratory, blind to method, used specific criteria to grade smears as being optimal, adequate, marginal, or inadequate. Statistical analysis was by the chi 2 and analysis of variance tests.
Results:
No statistical differences occurred among the groups for nonpregnant patients. For pregnant patients smear quality was improved with both Cytobrush-spatula and Bayne Pap Brush versus cotton swab-spatula (p = 0.0301 and 0.0004, respectively); cotton swab-spatula had fewer endocervical cells than the Cytobrush-spatula (p = 0.0001), Cervex-Brush (p = 0.0288), and Bayne Pap Brush (p = 0.0081).
Conclusions:
The cotton swab-spatula and Cytobrush-spatula appear to be the most effective screening methods for nonpregnant and pregnant patients, respectively.
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