# Cervicography

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Medical diagnostic method

Cervicography Purpose Test for cervical cancer (screening)

**Cervicography** is a diagnostic medical procedure in which a non-physician takes pictures of the [cervix](/source/Cervix) and submits them to a physician for interpretation. Other related procedures are [speculoscopy](/source/Speculoscopy) and [colposcopy](/source/Colposcopy). The procedure is considered a screening test for [cervical cancer](/source/Cervical_cancer) and is complementary to [Pap smear](/source/Pap_smear). The technique was initially developed by Adolf Stafl, MD, of [Medical College of Wisconsin](/source/Medical_College_of_Wisconsin) in 1981.[1]

Unlike colposcopy, cervicography does not have a current [CPT](/source/Current_Procedural_Terminology)/[HCPCS](/source/Healthcare_Common_Procedure_Coding_System) code and typically is not covered by most medical insurance companies. (Cervicography was given a [Category III CPT code](/source/Current_Procedural_Terminology#Types_of_code) of 0003T, but this was discontinued in 2006.[2])

Cervicography is no more sensitive than Pap smear screening, and has a higher false positive rate (thus increasing the number of colposcopies needed).[3][4]

Whether cervicography could have a role in countries where Pap smear screening programs are not in place depends on cost effectiveness and remained to be determined as of 1998.[4] A 2005 study found the sensitivity and specificity of cervicography for [cervical intraepithelial neoplasia](/source/Cervical_intraepithelial_neoplasia) to be 72.3% and 93.2% respectively;[5] however, a 2007 study criticized the sensitivity figure as "likely... inflated" because the "gold standard" of colposcopy/biopsy may have missed cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Stafl A (April 1981). "Cervicography: a new method for cervical cancer detection". *Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol*. **139** (7): 815–25. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/0002-9378(81)90549-4](https://doi.org/10.1016%2F0002-9378%2881%2990549-4). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [7211987](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7211987).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Cervicography"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110724004710/https://www.bcidaho.com/providers/medical_policies/med/mp_20404.asp). Archived from [the original](https://www.bcidaho.com/providers/medical_policies/med/mp_20404.asp) on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-06-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Nuovo J, Melnikow J, Hutchison B, Paliescheskey M (1997). "Is cervicography a useful diagnostic test? A systematic overview of the literature". *J Am Board Fam Pract*. **10** (6): 390–7. [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [9407479](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9407479).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-niekerk_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-niekerk_4-1) van Niekerk WA, Dunton CJ, Richart RM, et al. (1998). "Colposcopy, cervicography, speculoscopy and endoscopy. International Academy of Cytology Task Force summary. Diagnostic Cytology Towards the 21st Century: An International Expert Conference and Tutorial". *Acta Cytol*. **42** (1): 33–49. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1159/000331533](https://doi.org/10.1159%2F000331533). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [9479322](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9479322).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** De Vuyst H, Claeys P, Njiru S, Muchiri L, Steyaert S, De Sutter P, Van Marck E, Bwayo J, Temmerman M (May 2005). "Comparison of pap smear, visual inspection with acetic acid, human papillomavirus DNA-PCR testing and cervicography". *Int J Gynaecol Obstet*. **89** (2): 120–6. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ijgo.2005.01.035](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ijgo.2005.01.035). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [15847874](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15847874).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Pretorius RG, Bao YP, Belinson JL, Burchette RJ, Smith JS, Qiao YL (Nov 2007). ["Inappropriate gold standard bias in cervical cancer screening studies"](http://www.unc.edu/~jsssmith/publications/51.PretoriusRG.IntJCancer2007.121(2218-2224).pdf) (PDF). *Int J Cancer*. **121** (10): 2218–24. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/ijc.22991](https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fijc.22991). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17657715](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17657715).

v t e Human papillomavirus Related diseases Cancers Cervical cancer cancers Anal Vaginal Vulvar Penile Head and neck cancer (HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer) Warts genital plantar flat Laryngeal papillomatosis Epidermodysplasia verruciformis Focal epithelial hyperplasia Papilloma Others Acrochordon (skin tags) Vaccine HPV vaccines Cervarix Gardasil Screening Pap test: stain Bethesda system Cytopathology Cytotechnology Experimental techniques: Speculoscopy Cervicography Colposcopy Biopsy histology Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) Koilocyte Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) Treatment Cervical conization Loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP) History Georgios Papanikolaou Harald zur Hausen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cervicography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervicography) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervicography?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.