Yes, very frequently, and they have become the standard and preferred method in modern cervical cancer screening.The simple and direct answer is: yes. Cytology adhesion slides are used almost exclusively in modern liquid-based thin-layer cervical cytology testing (ThinPrep or LCT) and have completely replaced the conventional slides used for traditional manual smears.

Here is A Detailed Explanation:

Why have they become the preferred choice for cervical eacaminations?

Traditional cervical smears involve directly applying a cervical brush sample to a plain microscope slide. This method has significant drawbacks:

● Cell loss: Up to 80% of cells are discarded during the sample collection process.

● Uneven smears: Cells can accumulate and overlap, and blood and mucus can interfere with observation.

● Poor fixation: Cells can easily dry out and deform due to inadequate fixation.

The combination of liquid-based thin-layer cytology testing (TCT/LCT) and adhesion slides perfectly addresses these issues, making it the gold standard.

Specific Process and Advantages Of Microscopic Slides

● Sample Collection and Preservation:

After collecting the sample with a cervical brush, the doctor rinses the entire brush head in a vial of liquid preservative solution instead of applying it directly to a slide.

This method preserves nearly 100% of the collected cells.

● Laboratory Preparation (Core Step):

Upon receipt of the vial, the laboratory uses a fully automated instrument to process the sample, removing unnecessary mucus, blood, and inflammatory cells through techniques such as gradient centrifugation.

The instrument then transfers and adsorbs diagnostically promising cells evenly and in a single layer onto a "cytology adhesion slide."

● The Key Role of the Anti-Slip Slide:

Firm Adhesion: During the subsequent automated Papanicolaou staining process (which involves multiple rinses and soaking), the special coating (e.g., polysine) on the anti-slip slide ensures that cells adhere firmly to the slide and do not fall off. This ensures that all transferred cells can be observed, significantly reducing missed diagnoses (false negatives) due to cell loss.

● Perfect Morphology: 

The monolayer distribution of cells ensures clear, non-overlapping morphology for each cell, creating a clean background and making it easier and more accurate for pathologists to observe.

Plain Glass Slide VS. Cytology Adhesion Slides

Conclsion

"Cytology Adhesion Slides" are not only commonly used in cervical smears, but are a key technical component designed specifically for this purpose. Combined with modern liquid-based thin-layer preparation technology, they have significantly improved the accuracy and reliability of cervical cancer screening, contributing significantly to the early detection of cervical precancerous lesions. Therefore, when you undergo a cervical cancer screening (TCT) test at a hospital today, your cell sample will almost certainly be prepared on one of these non-shedding slides.