Pathology Test Guide for Cervical and Vaginal Testing

Pathology Test Guide for Cervical and Vaginal Testing provides a table describing the guidelines as it relates to pathology testing for Cervical and Vaginal testing.

Page last updated: 01 March 2020 (this page is generated automatically and reflects updates to other content within the website)

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Pathology Test Guide for Cervical and Vaginal Testing^


Patient presents as

Context*

Age

Sample type

Test type

What to write on the pathology request form

Asymptomatic

NCSP routine five yearly screening

  • Only 1 of this MBS item is claimable in a 57-month period

≥ 24yrs & 9mths

Cervical

HPV test

Cervical Screening Test (CST)

Screening under-and never-screened patients

  • ≥30 years of age and
  • At least 2 years overdue or never-screened and
  • Declines cervical sampling
  • Only 1 of this MBS item is claimable in a 7-year (84mth) period

≥ 30yrs

Vaginal

HPV test

HPV test, self-collected

Screening under-and never-screened patients

  • Following a self collect test result of HPV not 16/18 detected (intermediate risk)

Cervical

Standalone LBC

LBC

Asymptomatic

Screening in specific populations

  • Immune-deficient
  • Early sexual debut, prior to 14 years and not vaccinated prior to sexual debut (only one claimable between 20 to 24 years of age)

Any age

Cervical

HPV test

 

  • HPV test, Immune deficient
  • HPV test, Early debut HPV

Follow up test claimable after previous positive screening test (12 month repeat)
  • Follow up HPV test

Follow up or post treatment for clinical management

  • Following treatment of HSIL (also called “test of cure”)
  • Following treatment of AIS
  • DES exposed in utero

Co-test (HPV & LBC)

 

  • “Co-test” or “HPV & LBC”, Test of Cure
  • “Co-test” or “HPV & LBC” Post-treatment
  • “Co-test” or “HPV & LBC”, DES

Symptomatic

For investigation of symptoms:

  • persistent or vaginal bleeding (post-coital, unexplained inter-menstrual or any post-menopausal)
  • Unexplained persistent unusual discharge (offensive and/or blood stained)
  • deep persistent dyspareunia if accompanied by the bleeding

“Co-test” or “HPV & LBC”, "Symptomatic" (describe the symptoms)
  • Vaginal discharge
  • Unexplained persistent deep dyspareunia in the absence of other symptoms

HPV test

HPV test (describe the symptoms)

Patient presents as

Context*

Age

Sample type

Test type

What to write on the pathology request form

HPV test after total hysterectomy
  • No evidence of cervical pathology on hysterectomy specimen and the patient screening history not available

Any age

Vaginal vault

HPV test

Vaginal vault HPV
  • Unexpected LSIL or HSIL identified in hysterectomy specimen;
  • Hysterectomy for treatment of HSIL in the presence of benign gynaecological disease; or
  • Following histologically-confirmed HSIL without previous Test of Cure and no cervical pathology in hysterectomy specimen.

Co-test (HPV & LBC)

Vaginal vault “Co-test” or “HPV & LBC”

Follow up self-collect HPV test (clinical management)
  • Only claimable within 21 months following the detection of oncogenic HPV (any type) on a self-collected screening test

≥ 30yrs

Vaginal

HPV test

Self-collect HPV follow up test

Cervical

Standalone LBC

LBC

Repeat test following an unsatisfactory test

Following an unsatisfactory test

  • Only claimable when preceded by another cervical or vaginal MBS Item

Any age

Cervical

HPV test

HPV test, previous result unsatisfactory

Vaginal

HPV test

HPV test, previous result unsatisfactory

Cervical

LBC

LBC, previous result unsatisfactory

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