If you received abnormal results on a Pap test, a colposcopy is usually recommended. Colposcopy is a simple and procedure that takes 10 to 15 minutes and can be performed in our health center.
When getting a colposcopy, you are positioned on the examination table like you are for a Pap smear and the nurse practitioner uses a device called a colposcope to take a closer look at your cervix to determine the cause of your abnormal Pap test results.
Abnormal cervical changes are seen as white areas -- areas where the cervical cells are growing abnormally that can indicate cancer. Abnormal blood vessel changes can also be seen through the colposcope. The nurse practitioner may take a tissue sample or biopsy from the whitest abnormal areas and send it to the lab for further evaluation.
A colposcopy may also be ordered if your cervix appears abnormal during a gynecological exam, or in patients with a history of prenatal DES (Diethylstilbestrol) exposure.
