What special tests are done during colposcopy?
Three special tests are done during colposcopy: acetic acid wash, use of color filters, and sampling (biopsy) of tissues of the cervix. Acetic acid wash After the cervix is studied with the colposcope, the cervix is washed with a chemical called acetic acid, which is diluted 3% to 5%. The acetic acid washes away mucus and allows abnormal areas to be seen more easily with the colposcope. Moreover, the acetic acid stains the abnormal areas white. The areas that stain white after the acetic acid wash are called “acetowhite lesions.” Sometimes, however, normal areas can also stain white, but these areas have vague or faint borders. In contrast, significant abnormalities, such as genital warts, pre-cancers (dysplasia), and cancers, generally produce acetowhite areas with distinct and clear boundaries. Sometimes staining with a dilute iodine solution (known as Lugol’s solution or Schiller’s solution) is also performed to further examine for abnormalities. Normal cells will generally take up
