aims
Last reviewed 11/2020
Colposcopy has three major aims:
- to define the most severe part of a lesion for subsequent punch biopsy
- to delineate the area of intraepithelial neoplasia for subsequent treatment
- to monitor mild dysplasia not requiring treatment - colposcopy repeated every 6-12 months
Colposcopy is unsatisfactory if the entire transformation zone is not visualised. Conisation is indicated if there is significant discrepancy between the biopsy obtained and the smear, or if the biopsy shows microinvasion.