Pap Testing

Tri-Path Liquid-based Pap Test
A new FDA-approved method to screen for cervical cancer that replaces the 50-year-old Pap smear is now available at Sky Lakes Medical Center Laboratory. The Tri-Path liquid-based Pap Test sets a high standard for women's health by improving the detection of many lesions and by reducing the need for unnecessary repeat tests.

"The quality is better because the physician no longer has to make a smear on a slide," says Dr. Miguel Montes, director of the Sky Lakes Medical Center Lab. Harvard-trained Dr. Montes is a board-certified pathologist who is also certified for this procedure.

Here's how the procedure works: The patient's physician collects a sample in the same manner as previous Pap tests, but the specimen is placed in a preservative solution rather than on a slide. A special instrument prepares the sample and makes a uniform slide for review.

"By eliminating many of the obscuring factors, we can get a better understanding of what is going on with a patient's sample," says Montes. "This test can help in a diagnosis by improving the quality of the preparation. Physicians are better able to determine what action to take, helping to alleviate some of the anxiety patients can experience from being called back for more tests."

Pap smears can detect cervical abnormalities including certain cancers, and are typically done annually or as directed by a woman's physician or other health-care professional.

Learn more about Pap tests at our Health Information Library.