Colposcopy is a medical diagnostic procedure that is performed in order to examine patients who have abnormal ThinPrep^® or pap smear tests or patients who are positive for HPV (human papilloma virus). Using a magnifying instrument called a colposcope the gynecologist examines the tissues of a woman's cervix and vagina to locate any suspicious areas on the surface of the cervix . In the event abnormal tissues are observed the physician will take small tissue samples of the affected areas for pathology evaluation (biopsy).