Evaluation of papnet trade; system for rescreening of negative cervical smears

We rescreened 2,238 cervicovaginal smears conventionally prepared with Papanicolaou stain by PAPNET trade; system. The slides screened manually as negative, were sent to PAPNET system. The image tapes were reviewed on a high‐resolution monitor, and categorized as negative, unsatisfactory, and atypical. All atypical cases were rescreened manually. Abnormal cases were reviewed by a cytopathologist. Two‐thousand one hundred and two (94%) cases rescreened by PAPNET were negative. Nine of 45 unsatisfactory cases by PAPNET were unsatisfactory by manual review. Ninety‐one (4.0%) cases by PAPNET were atypical. On manual rescreening, 86 of 91 were negative, 20% showing benign cellular changes; five of 91 were atypical, the atypia, however, not exceeding low‐grade category. The detection rate by PAPNET method was 0.2% (five of 2,238 cases). We conclude: 1) In a cytology laboratory with good quality control, PAPNET rescreening does not significantly increase the detection rate. 2) For cytology laboratories without in‐house rescreening. PAPNET offers an alternative at a price. 3) The PAPNET system also offers a tool by which a laboratory can occasionally monitor its performance. 4) The cost benefit analysis of the system requires further study and scrutiny. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.