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Cytopathology in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
1Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City 52242-1009, USA.
Objective:
To determine the differences and similarities between cytopathology practice in Vietnam and North America.
Study Design:
Through the sponsorship of Friendship Bridge, we traveled to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in January 1994. By visiting hospitals and medical centers in each city, we observed how economic, demographic and social factors affected cytopathology practice.
Results:
In Vietnam, the resources of the medical system, cytopathology in particular, are devoted to diagnosis rather than prevention. Consequently, screening tests, such as the Papanicolaou smear for the detection of cervical-vaginal lesions, are not performed on a routine basis. There are regional differences in Vietnam in the employment of common techniques, such as fine needle aspiration biopsy.
Conclusion:
Although limited in funds, cytopathology is widely practiced and serves an important role in the medical system of Vietnam.