An evaluation of cervical dysplasia begins with a medical history and physical examination.

The physical examination is usually normal in a woman with cervical dysplasia.

A PAP smear is necessary to detect cervical dysplasia. The PAP smear is performed during a pelvic examination. The PAP smear is a simple, painless test, where the examiner brushes off the surface of the cervix with a wooden spatula. The sample cells that are collected during the process are evaluated for the presence of cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer. The PAP test is very sensitive.

Additional tests that may be used to evaluate cervical dysplasia include:

• Cervical biopsy is used to obtain a tissue specimen for analysis.
• Colposcopy
• HPV testing
• PAP smear:
• Cells from this specimen are analyzed under a microscope to look for cancer cells.