Gynecologic cytology

Cervical Pap smears should be initiated at the time a woman becomes sexually active or by 21 years of age. Additional sites for obtaining specimens include the vulva, vaginal wall, vaginal pool, cervix and endometrium, each serving a specific purpose. The primary use of vaginal pool cytology is to detect an abnormal endometrium or an extrauterine malignancy. Meticulous technique and knowledge of the types of yield from specific sites are required in order to obtain accurate cytologic information.