The Polarprobe--emerging technology for cervical cancer screening.

The Polarprobe is a portable non invasive electronic device designed for the detection of cervical precancer and cancer. It measures both electrical and optical properties of cervical tissue to allow a real time comparison with a databank of previously determined cervical tissue types. The need for additional tests to augment or even replace the Papanicolaou smear has partly prompted its development. Indeed it has been shown to be associated with less pain and anxiety than the smear and has the capability of encouraging women to attend for screening. Some of the preliminary clinical trials on the Polarprobe are reported as well as the ongoing developments and modifications to the device.