Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Collection, Isolation, and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Human Endocervical Samples
Published on: July 6, 2014
Video colpography: a new technique for secondary cervical screening
I J Etherington1, J Dunn, M I Shafi
1City Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Objective:
To assess the diagnostic accuracy of a new technique of cervical imaging and to consider its potential as a secondary cervical screening method.
Design:
A prospective cross-sectional study with each case acting as its own control, comparing video colpography with colposcopy.
Setting:
University of Birmingham colposcopy clinics, City Hospital and Birmingham Women's Hospital.
Participants:
Fifty women referred for colposcopy.
Interventions:
The women had a video colpogram recording made prior to colposcopy.
Main Outcome Measures:
The proportion of technically suitable colpograms obtained and the level of agreement between colposcopist and video screener.
Results:
The images were satisfactory or good in 94% cases, and there was a very high level of agreement between colposcopist and video screener (kappa = 0.79). If the technique had been used in a primary health care setting as a secondary screening method for women with low grade cervical smear abnormalities, 61% would have avoided referral for colposcopy.
Conclusions:
Video colpography is an accurate, portable and quick method of cervical imaging. It combines the simplicity of a video camera with the versatility of computerised digital imaging and has great potential in the fields of teaching, audit and screening of low grade smear abnormalities.
