Like the Pap smear, a colposcopy that is performed after dysplasia has been found is diagnostic in nature. That said, colposcopy is rarely definitive. If, during your test, the doctor spots a notable abnormality in the cervical tissue, they may take a biopsy. This quick removal of cells or tissue provides a living sample that can be examined more closely in a pathology lab. It is the pathological examination that confirms or rules out the presence of cervical cancer.