Schiller's test or Schiller's Iodine test is a

medical test A medical test is a medical procedure performed to detect, diagnose, or monitor diseases, disease processes, susceptibility, or to determine a course of treatment. Medical tests such as, physical and visual exams, diagnostic imaging, genetic te ...

in which

iodine Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The heaviest of the stable halogens, it exists as a semi-lustrous, non-metallic solid at standard conditions that melts to form a deep violet liquid at , and boils to a vi ...

solution is applied to the

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during ...

in order to diagnose

cervical cancer Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal ...

Procedure

Schiller's iodine solution is applied to the cervix under direct vision. Normal cervical

mucosa A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...

contains glycogen and stains brown, whereas abnormal areas, such as early cervical cancer, do not take up the stain. The abnormal areas can then be

biopsied A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist. The process involves extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a disea ...

and examined

histologically Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single ...

. The composition of Schiller's iodine is the same as Lugol's iodine, the latter being more concentrated. When Schiller's iodine is not available,

Lugol's iodine Lugol's iodine, also known as aqueous iodine and strong iodine solution, is a solution of potassium iodide with iodine in water. It is a medication and disinfectant used for a number of purposes. Taken by mouth it is used to treat thyrotoxicosi ...

can be used as an alternative. Schiller's test is not specific for cervical cancer, as areas of

inflammation Inflammation (from la, wikt:en:inflammatio#Latin, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or Irritation, irritants, and is a protective response involving im ...

, ulceration and

keratosis Keratosis (from '' kerat-'' + '' -osis'') is a growth of keratin on the skin or on mucous membranes stemming from keratinocytes, the prominent cell type in the epidermis. More specifically, it can refer to: * actinic keratosis (also known as solar ...

may also not take up the stain.

Eponym

Schiller's test is named after Dr. Walter Schiller (1887 – 1960).W. Schiller. Early diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix. ''Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics'', Chicago, 1933, 56: 210-222.

References

Medical tests Gynaecological cancer {{Med-diagnostic-stub