Which instrument is used to examine the vagina and cervix and is lighted?

• A. Cryosurgery
• B. Colposcopy
• C. Colposcope
• D. Exudate

Answer: (C)

The instrument used to examine the vagina and cervix with illumination is the colposcope. It’s a lighted binocular instrument that stays outside the body while the clinician looks through its eyepieces, often providing magnified, well-lit views of the cervical and vaginal tissues. During the procedure, the provider may apply a mild solution like dilute acetic acid to make abnormal areas stand out, helping guide any necessary biopsies. Cryosurgery is a freezing treatment for tissue, not an examination tool. Exudate is discharge from tissue, not an instrument. Colposcopy refers to the procedure itself, while the colposcope is the instrument used to perform that examination.