The colposcope is a low-powered microscope with built-in illumination which can be used for a close examination of the cervix and vagina, enlarging the area 10-20 times. With this instrument, cervical areas of dysplasia, carcinoma in situ and early invasive cancer are usually visible. As a result the colposcope can be used to direct the actual site for cervical biopsy with great accuracy. The colposcope is also useful in visualizing the vaginal vault to study the possibility of neoplastic changes both before and after surgical treatment for carcinoma of the cervix.