The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new device to select Pap smears for re-reading.
Pap smears are tests that detect cancer and precancerous cell changes in the cervix.
The following can be used to answer questions. Currently, cytotechnologists scan slides containing cervical cells under a microscope to look for signs of abnormalities. Ten percent of all negative smears are routinely re-screened. However, even with this quality control feature, abnormal pap smears may go undetected. The error rate for Pap smears varies from lab to lab but is estimated to be 5 percent to 25 percent.