Medical Terminology: Female Tests

1. What are Female Tests?
Female patients routinely undergo breast and cervical examinations for signs of cysts, growths, abnormal tissue, structural abnormalities, and infection. In this chapter, you will learn about tests and procedures that are performed to test for disorders and their repair.
When a mammogram reveals a suspicious growth, the health care provider usually orders a breast ultrasound to closely examine the growth and then possibly orders a breast biopsy. If the tissue sample is deemed cancerous via the breast biopsy results, the health care provider may perform a mastectomy. A mastectomy may be performed even if there are no signs of breast cancer. Reasons for performing a mastectomy without empirical evidence of cancer are explored in this chapter. The patient may decide to have her breasts altered for therapeutic or cosmetic reasons. You will learn about procedures that augment, reduce, and lift the breast in this chapter.
There are a number of tests used to examine the patient’s vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes. Many of these tests enable the health care provider to take a tissue sample or perform a biopsy on abnormal tissue. If the tissue sample is identified to be cancerous, the cancerous organ is removed. You will learn about these tests and procedures in this chapter.

2. Breast Cancer Gene (BRCA) Test
The breast cancer gene (BRCA) test is used to assess the patient’s chances of developing breast or ovarian cancer.

Understanding the Breast Cancer Gene Test
Scientists have discovered two genes called the breast cancer genes (BRCA1, BRCA2) that are associated with breast and ovarian cancer if mutated. A patient who carries this mutated gene and has a family history of breast or ovarian cancer may have a higher than normal chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer. However, the patient also has a chance of not developing these cancers. The presence of the breast cancer gene does not mean that the patient will develop breast or ovarian cancer. The breast cancer gene test determines if the patient’s BRCA1. and BRCA2. genes are mutated. If so, some patients may decide to have a mastectomy and/or oophorectomy to prevent these cancers from developing. Patients who test positive may also be advised to take tamoxifen to inhibit this gene.
Male patients who have a family history of breast and prostate cancer may also have this gene. These patients can also develop breast and prostate cancer.

3. Pap Smear
The Pap smear is used to assess cervical tissue and identify abnormal cervical tissues that might be cancerous or precancerous in nature.

Understanding the Pap Smear Test
A Pap smear is a procedure the removes samples of cells from the cervix to assess if there are any abnormal cells. The sample is sent to the laboratory for microscopic identification. Further examination is necessary if the sample is positive, indicating abnormal cells on the cervix.
A negative Pap smear result does not mean that the patient is free from cervical cancer. It means that no abnormal cells were contained in the tissue sample. Abnormal cells might exist in areas of the cervix that was not sampled.

4. Vaginosis Tests
Vaginosis tests are used to assess the cause of vaginal itching, inflammation, and discharge, and identify the treatment for vaginosis.

Understanding the Vaginosis Tests
Vaginosis is the inflammation of the vulva and vagina caused by an infection or a reaction to an irritant, resulting in painful vaginal discharge and itching. The most common causes of vaginosis are:
- Candida albicans: This is a yeast infection that causes lumpy white discharge and itching.
- Trichomonas vaginalis:This causes a foamy yellow-green odorous vaginal discharge.
- Bacterial vaginosis: This causes a milky thick vaginal discharge that gives off a fishy odor.
Vaginosis tests are performed by the health care provider to sample the vaginal discharge and send the sample to a laboratory for examination. There are four vaginosis tests:
. Whiff Test: Potassium hydroxide solution is dropped on the sample. If a fishy odor emanates, then the patient has bacterial vaginosis.
. KOH Slide: The sample is mixed with potassium hydroxide solution. Only the yeast remains on the slide, indicating that the patient has a yeast infection.
. Wet Mount: The sample is mixed with saline on a slide. The laboratory technician then identifies through microscopic examination the organism that is causing the infection.
. Vaginal pH: The pH level of the sample is tested. A pH level >4.5. indicates bacterial vaginosis.

5. Sperm Penetration Tests
The sperm penetration tests are used to assess the underlying cause of infertility.

Understanding the Sperm Penetration Tests
Sperm penetration tests are performed when a woman is having difficulty becoming pregnant to determine if the sperm can move through the cervical mucus and into the fallopian tubes. There are two types of sperm penetration tests:
. Sperm Penetration Assay: This test mixes sperm with hamster eggs to see if the sperm can penetrate the egg. The result is measured as a sperm capacitation index.
. Sperm Mucus Penetration: This test determines if sperm can move through the cervical mucus.

Basic Questions
Female Tests

1. What is the purpose of the BRCA test?
The BRCA test is used to assess the patient’s chances of developing breast or ovarian cancer.

2. What is BRCA?
Two genes called the breast cancer genes are BRCA1. and BRCA2, and they are associated with breast and ovarian cancer.

3. How would you respond to a patient who has the BRCA genes and who said that she is going to develop breast cancer?
A patient who carries this mutated gene and who has a family history of breast or ovarian cancer may have a higher than normal chance of developing breast cancer or ovarian cancer. However, the patient also has a chance of not developing these cancers.

4. What does the BRCA test assess?
The breast cancer gene test determines if the patient’s BRCA1. and BRCA2. genes are mutated.

5. What might the health care provider suggest if the patient tests positive for BRCA?

The patient who tests positive may be advised to take tamoxifen to inhibit this gene.

6. How would you respond if a male patient says it is impossible for him to have the BRCA gene?
Male patients who have a family history of breast and prostate cancer may also have this gene. These patients can also develop breast and prostate cancer.

7. What is the purpose of the Pap smear?
The Pap smear is used to assess cervical tissue and identify abnormal cervical tissues that might be cancerous.

8. How is a Pap smear performed?
A Pap smear is a procedure that removes sample cells from the cervix to assess if there are any abnormal cells. The sample is sent to the laboratory for microscopic identification.

9. What is meant by a negative Pap smear?
It means that no abnormal cells were contained in the tissue sample.

10. Can a patient have a negative Pap smear and still have cervical cancer?
Yes, because cancerous cells might not have been sampled.

11. What is the purpose of the vaginosis test?
The vaginosis tests are used to assess the cause of vaginal itchy inflammation and discharge, and identify the treatment for vaginosis.

12. What is vaginosis?
Vaginosis is the inflammation of the vulva and vagina caused by an infection or reaction to an irritant, resulting in a painful vaginal discharge and itching.

13. What is Candida albicans?
This is a yeast infection that causes lumpy white discharge and itching.

14. What is Trichomonas vaginalis?
This causes a foamy yellow-green odorous vaginal discharge.

15. What is bacterial vaginosis?
This causes a milky thick vaginal discharge that gives off a fishy odor.

16. What is the Whiff test?
This is a test in which potassium hydroxide solution is dropped on the sample. If a fishy odor emanates, then the patient has bacterial vaginosis.

17. What is the KOH slide test?
The KOH slide test is a test in which the sample is mixed with potassium hydroxide solution. Only the yeast remains on the slide, indicating that the patient has a yeast infection.

18. What is the wet mount test?
The wet mount test is a test in which the sample is mixed with saline on a slide. The laboratory technician then identifies through microscopic examination the organism causing the infection.

19. Why is the vaginal pH test?
The vaginal pH test is a test in which the pH level of the sample is tested. A pH level >4.5. indicates bacterial vaginosis.

20. What is the purpose of the sperm penetration tests?
The sperm penetration tests are used to assess the underlying cause of infertility.

21. When might the sperm penetration test be ordered?
Sperm penetration tests are performed when a woman is having difficulty becoming pregnant to determine if the sperm can move through the cervical mucus and into the fallopian tubes.

22. What is the sperm penetration assay test?
This test mixes sperm with hamster eggs to see if the sperm can penetrate the egg.

23. What is the sperm mucus penetration test?
This test determines if sperm can move through the cervical mucus.

24. How is the result of the sperm penetration assay test measured?
The result is measured as a sperm capacitation index.

25. Does a positive Pap smear test mean that the patient has cervical cancer?
No. The health care provider is likely to order further examinations and testing.