The Pap test has been a winner ever since its introduction more than 50 years ago. Making it a routine part of women’s health care has seen the number of deaths from cervical cancer tumble more than 70 percent.

But like most things in life, it is imperfect, yielding a fair number of so-called false negatives, which are ambiguous or abnormal results that are mistakenly termed normal. Enter several high-tech approaches that may help reduce the error rate. Ask your doctor about them.

ThinPrep

This provides lab technicians with a bigger, better sample to examine, letting them detect 65 percent more abnormalities than they could using conven­tional Pap smears.

Traditionally, doctors smear a few cervical cells onto a glass plate, then toss the swab (and thousands more cells that cling to it) into the medical-waste bin. With ThinPrep, the whole sample, including the swabbing instrument, is preserved, then filtered using centrifugal force (spinning) to remove any obscuring material. The result: an easier-to-read sample with more distinct cells.

The FDA has approved the ThinPrep Pap “significantly more effective" at detecting precancerous cervical cells. Another benefit is that it can test for HPV, Chlamydia and gonorrhea all from the same sample, so you don’t have to undergo multiple sample collections.

PapNet and AutoPap

These methods use computers to zero in on potentially suspicious cells in a particular sample. PapNet is employed to recheck Paps that have been declared normal, in case any problems have been missed. If the computer finds potentially suspicious areas, it snaps a photo, then sends a magnified image to the lab for a closer look.

AutoPap, which uses a video microscope to examine slides and red flag any that appear to have abnormalities, can be used in place of a conventional Pap or to follow up on an abnormal Pap result.

Pap Plus Speculoscopy

This device shows possible abnormalities of the cervix during an office visit. The doctor swabs the vagina and cervix with vinegar, then shines the special speculoscopic light on it. Normal and abnormal cells have different chemical reactions to vinegar, so they show up as blue (normal) and white (abnormal) under speculoscopic light.

How often

Sexually active women and those age 18 and over should have annual exams. Regular exams are a must for women with human papilloma virus infections, which can lead to cancer. Otherwise, after three consecutive tests are normal, less-frequent Paps are safe. Women who have had hysterectomies should ask their doctors whether they still need Pap tests.

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