Appraisal of a newly developed self-collection device for obtaining cervical specimens

The Kato self-collection method of obtaining cervical samples was used on 150 subjects who also had physician-prepared scrape smears performed for a comparative study of the cytodiagnostic results. Comparison of the cytologies on the two types of specimens showed total agreement as to whether a case was positive or negative; the only disagreements were in the degree of severity of some of the positive cases. If the apparatus is improved further, the Kato self-collection system may become useful for mass screening, particularly in medically remote or rural areas.