Cytological techniques Flashcards
Detection of dysplasias and carcinomas
Type of specimen
squamous, columnar and metaplastic cells
T-Zone (Transformation Zone) - junction of endocervical/ectocervical mucosa
Endocervical brush
– samples of endocervical canal
Vaginal scrape
– for patient with hysterectomy
Lateral VS
– hormonal evaluation
Four quadrant VS
– localization of vaginal adenosis
Vulvar scrape
– detection of herpetic lesions of carcinoma
Polygonal squamous cells with 45-50 um in diameter
pale, pink-staining cytoplasm
With dark pyknotic nuclei, less than 6u in diameter
true acidophilia
(under estrogen influence)
Mature superficial cells
Medium polyhedral or elongated cells with basophilic vacuolated cytoplasm
intermediate cell
Round to oval cells with small dense basophilic cytoplasm
15-30 um in diameter, smaller than IC, have a larger vesicular nucleus
Found from two weeks of age to puberty
After childbirth, with abortions and after menopause
Similar to fried fresh eggs with sunny side up
Parabasal cells
Boat-shaped intermediate cells with strong tendency to fold or curl on edges
suggest of the combined estrogen-progesterone effect
Seen in latter half of menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and menopause
Navicular cells
obtained from organs that do not shed cells spontaneously, such as breast, thyroid, lymph nodes, liver, lungs, skin, soft tissues and bones.
It is useful in lesions that are easily palpable, like growth of skin, subcutaneous soft tissue tumors, thyroid, lymph nodes, salivary glands and breast.
Fine needle aspiration
important diagnostic value in patients with a known history of cancer
Positive effusion of malignancy is the first presentation of cancer of unknown origin
Heparin does not interfere with cytologic preparation
- 1ml of CSF inecessary for cytologic evaluation
Body cavity effusions
Spontaneous nipple discharge
hormonal imbalance
breast secretion is bloody
benign intraductal papilloma
for vaginal hormonal cytology
upper lateral third of the vaginal wall
stains blue to lavender with pap’s stain
Doderlein’s bacillus or Lactobacillus acidophilus
Centrifuge speed in cytospin
1000rpm for 1 minute
Prevent jelly like clots in serous fluids
300units of Heparin/100mL of fluid
hormones that inhibits ferning
Progesterone
class I
normal cytology
class II
infection or inflammation
class III
doubtful cytology
Class IV
frankly malignant cytology
Class V
cytologic picture conclusive of malignancy
Nucleus pushed aside or towards the cell’s membrane
Double walked boundary appearance
Pregnancy cells
Similar in appearance to parabasal cells
Found during and 1-4 days after mens
Endometrial cells
having a honeycomb appearance when viewed in end
Endometrial glandular cells
Small, round to slightly oval
Relatively large nuclei occupying more than half of the cell
Found before puberty and after menopause
Basal cells
