Examination methods for diagnosing cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the common malignant tumors in gynecology. In clinical practice, it is mainly diagnosed through naked eye observation, colposcopy, liquid-based cytology screening, human papillomavirus testing, etc. The diagnosis also needs to be confirmed by pathological biopsy.

1. Observation with naked eyes

Under a microscope, you will find that the surface of the cervix has erosion-like changes or cauliflower-like growths, and the texture is fragile and easy to bleed. If you have sexual intercourse, you will feel pain, and there will be symptoms such as white or bloody secretions and purulent secretions mixed with necrotic tissue.

2. Laboratory Examination

1. Colposcopy: Apply acetic acid or iodine to the cervix and you will see that the epithelium becomes smooth and pale. Then take a biopsy from the suspicious area and send it for pathological examination to determine whether there is cervical lesion and the extent of the lesion.

2. Liquid-based cytology screening: This is a combined screening of TCT and human papillomavirus, which has a relatively high accuracy rate and can detect cervical precancerous lesions and even carcinoma in situ at an early stage.

3. Human papillomavirus test: also known as HPV test, it is mainly used to detect whether the patient is infected with high-risk HPV viruses, especially types 16 and 18. These two types of viruses are closely related to the incidence of cervical cancer. Once a positive result occurs, further colposcopy and biopsy for pathological examination are required to confirm the diagnosis.

3. Imaging examination

It mainly includes B-ultrasound examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc., which are mainly used to evaluate the progression of the disease, such as the size of cervical tumors, the range of infiltration, etc.

Pathological examination

That is, cervical biopsy, which is done under the guidance of a doctor using special instruments to remove a small piece of cervical tissue for pathological examination. It is the gold standard and has a high accuracy.

In addition to the common examinations mentioned above, vaginal cytology and cervical angiography can also assist in the diagnosis of diseases. It is recommended that women undergo regular physical examinations to understand their health status. If any discomfort occurs, they should seek medical treatment in a timely manner.