Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of automated and semi-automated cervical screening devices: a systematic review of the literature.

Authors' conclusions 1. Estimates of test sensitivity and test specificity for the new devices could not be reliably determined. The research reviewed here provides no evidence for improved detection of high-grade abnormalities by new devices for cervical screening. New devices should demonstrate clinical effectiveness gains in detecting higher grade abnormalities. Highgrade squamous intraepithelial lesions have a much higher probability of progressing to cancer than low grade abnormalities that are likely to regress.