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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/9440.htm
Pap smears and cervical cancer
Overview
An instrument called a speculum holds the walls of the vagina open so that the cervix may be viewed and a swab of cells obtained for analysis.
Review Date 1/13/2025
Updated by: Howard Goodman, MD, Gynecologic Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, West Palm Beach, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
