Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Observer variability among colposcopists from the West Midlands region

I J Etherington1, D M Luesley, M I Shafi

  • 1Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, City Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|January 9, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Colposcopists show significant variation in diagnosing cervical images, with cytology results improving accuracy for high-grade abnormalities. Relying on cytology for minor abnormalities may lead to overtreatment, suggesting a need for revised see-and-treat protocols.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Adaptive Proton Therapy for Pediatric Parameningeal Rhabdomyosarcoma: On-Treatment Anatomic Changes and Timing to Replanning.

Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))·2023
Same author

Current insights into the aetiology, pathobiology, and management of local disease recurrence in squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2017
Same author

Adjacent Lichen Sclerosis predicts local recurrence and second field tumour in women with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma.

Gynecologic oncology·2016
Same author

Multi-site clinical evaluation of the Xpert(®) HIV-1 viral load assay.

Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology·2016
Same author

Direct Screening of Blood by PCR and Pyrosequencing for a 16S rRNA Gene Target from Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit Patients Being Evaluated for Bloodstream Infection.

Journal of clinical microbiology·2015
Same author

Cytological prediction of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3: does size of the lesion matter?

Journal of lower genital tract disease·2015

Area of Science:

  • Gynecology
  • Oncology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • Colposcopy is a key procedure for diagnosing cervical abnormalities.
  • Inter-observer variability in colposcopic diagnosis can impact patient management.
  • The influence of referral cytology on colposcopic decisions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate diagnostic and management variations among colposcopists using cervical images.
  • To determine the impact of referral cytology reports on diagnostic accuracy.

Main Methods:

  • A two-part video questionnaire study involving 30 colposcopists.
  • Participants reviewed 20 cervical images with and without referral cytology results.
  • Diagnoses and management decisions were recorded and analyzed.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Diagnostic accuracy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 improved significantly with cytology information (P < 0.0001).
  • Inter-observer agreement showed a slight improvement (kappa = 0.169 to 0.212) when cytology was known.
  • Overtreatment occurred in 37.5% of cases without CIN when cytology was revealed, while undertreatment of CIN 2/3 was minimal (2.6%).

Conclusions:

  • Considerable inter-observer variability exists in colposcopic image interpretation, particularly for lower-grade abnormalities.
  • Colposcopists heavily rely on referral cytology results for diagnosis.
  • A see-and-treat approach for minor smear abnormalities should be reconsidered to prevent overtreatment.