The report, published online in the British Medical Journal, said it also could lead to fewer women needing to be re-tested and might allow for longer intervals in-between testing.

The study, which involved 55,164 Australian women, found the computerized reading system, the ThinPrep Imager, detected 1.3 more cases of high-grade cervical abnormalities per 1,000 women screened than the conventional test, the journal said Friday in a news release.

The report said fewer slides were found to be unsatisfactory using TPI, which means fewer women might be recalled for repeat smears. The use of TPI also increased detection of low-grade cell lesions.