[A parallel comparison between cytological and cervicographic screening in early pregnancy]

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Obstetrics
• Oncology

Background:

• Cervical cancer screening is crucial for early detection and prevention.
• Evaluating diagnostic methods in early pregnancy is essential for maternal and fetal health.
• Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) requires accurate and timely diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the diagnostic accuracy of cytologic and cervicographic screening for CIN in early pregnancy.
• To assess the sensitivity and specificity of both methods against histological confirmation.

Main Methods:

• A prospective screening study involving 54 patients aged 20-37 in early pregnancy.
• Cytologic and cervicographic examinations were performed on all participants.
• Histological confirmation using punch biopsy under colposcopic control served as the gold standard.

Main Results:

• Cervicography demonstrated higher sensitivity (44.4%) for detecting CIN compared to cytology (22.2%).
• Cytology exhibited higher specificity (91.1%) in identifying healthy patients versus cervicography (51.2%).
• Histology confirmed CIN in 16.7% of patients (8 with CIN I, 1 with CIN III).
• 22.2% of cervicograms were technically defective.

Conclusions:

• Cervicography is a more sensitive screening tool for CIN in early pregnancy.
• Cytology remains a more specific method for identifying healthy patients.
• The choice of screening method may depend on balancing sensitivity and specificity needs in this population.