Cytology Flashcards
Fine-Needle Biopsy
- Collects samples from skin, LN, or internal organs
- Aspiration vs Non-aspiration technique
Fine-Needle Biopsy
Non-aspiration Technique
- Sample collected with needle NOT attached to syringe
- Cells collected from stabbing pressure
- Use for vascular tissues - liver or spleen
Tzanck Technique
Multiple imprints made onto slides
* before cleaning sample
* after cleaning sample
* after debridement
* after any scabs are removed
BAL
Bronchoalveolar Lavage
* orotracheal technique
* collects sample from lower respiratory tract
* bronchoscopy preferred method to performed this - needs bronchoscope
Characteristics of Fluid Samples
What to Record
- Total volume
- Color
- Turbidity
- Odor
TNCC
Total Nucleated Cell Count
* transudate
* exudate
* modified transudate
Transudate
- < 1500 nucleated cells
- < 2.5 g/dL protein
Modified Transudate
- 1000 - 7000 nucleated cells
- 2.5 - 7.5 g/dL protein
Exudate
- > 7000 nucleated cells
- > 3 g/dL protein
- Nonseptic vs Septic
- Degenerative vs Nondegenerative
Compression Prep
* also called squash prep
* avoid pressure - can distort / ruture cells
Modified Compression Prep
* use for fragile cells or thin sample
Combination Method
* creates 3 different “areas”
* wedge
* compression
* untouched
Starfish Method
* best for highly viscous samples
Line Smear
* use for unconcentrated or small sediment samples
* produces a line of concentrated sediment
* rapidly air dry slide
Gram Staining
- Negative = pink
- Positive = purple
Slide Cytology
Microscopic Exam
- Low Power: overall cellularity and large objects
- High Power: predominant cell type
- Oil Immersion: cellular characteristics
Neutrophils
Hypersegmented
More than 5 lobes
Neutrophil
Pyknosis
* condensed nucleus
Neutrophil
Karyolysis
* loss of nuclear membrane
Neutrophil
Karyorrhexis
* fragmented nucleus
Plasma Cells
* activated lymphocytes
* look for perinuclear clear zone
Macrophage
* large cell
* abundant blue cytoplasm with vacuoles
* may be multinucleated
* can contain phagocytized material
Types of Inflammation
- Purulent
- Pyogranulomatous
- Granulomatous
- Eosinophilic
Purulent Inflammation
Also called suppurative or acute inflammation
* most common type
* most caused by bacteria
* more than 85% neutrophils
* some macrophages and lymphocytes
Pyogranulomatous Inflammation
Also called chronic or active
* 50-75% neutrophils
* some macrophages
Granulomatous Inflammation
Also called chronic inflammation
* more than 70% mononuclear cells
* few neutrophils
Eosinophilic Inflammation
- More than 10% eosinophils
- Few mast cells, plasma cells, and lymphocytes
Benign Neoplasia
Also called hyperplasia
* homogeneous populations of the same cell type
* no malignant characteristics
Neoplastic Tissue Cells
- Epithelial
- Mesenchymal
- Discreet Round
Tissue Origin
Discreet Round Cell Tumors
* exfoliate well, but not in clusters
* small to medium individually round cells
Tissue Origin
Epithelial Cell Tumors
* called carcinoma / adenocarcinoma
* highly cellular samples
* large cells with abundant cytoplasm
* exfoliate in clusters
Tissue Origin
Mesenchymal Cell Tumor
* also called sarcoma or spindle cell
* not very cellular
* exfoliate singly
* cells are small with wispy spindles
Discreet Round Cell Tumors
Examples
- Histiocytoma
- Lymphoma
- Mast Cell Tumors
- Plasma Cell Tumors
- TVTs
- Melanoma
TVTs
Transmissible Venereal Tumors
Melanoma
Cells with prominent dark black granules
Normal Lymph Node Tissue
Consists of 75-95% small lymphocytes
* smaller than neutrophil
* few plasma cells, larger lymphocytes, and macrophages
Bone Marrow
Sample Collection
Use different sites for each collection when doing both aspirate and core sample
* core allow architecture of cells to stay intact
* core give better overall cellularity
Bone Marrow
Aspirate Locations
- Femur head
- Humerus head
- Iliac crest
Bone Marrow
Core Location
Most common site is the iliac crest
Bone Marrow
Smear Prep
- Prepare and stain smears immediately
- Stain one slide to look for hemosiderin (iron)
- Aspirate sample: romanowksy stain
Bone Marrow
Reading Smears
Proportion of nucleated cells vs fat
* normal adult: 50% each
* normal young: 25% fat
* normal old: 75% fat
Myeloid Cells
Large and pale-staining
* myeloblast
* promyelocyte
* myelocyte
* metamyelocyte
Erythroid Cells
Smaller with clumped basophilic nuclei
* rubriblast
* prorubricyte
* rubricyte
* metarubricyte
M/E Ratio
Myeloid to Erythroid Ratio
* count and sort 500 nucleated cells
Vaginal Cytology
Cell Types
- Basal
- Parabasal
- Intermediate
- Superficial
Vaginal Cytology
Anuclear
* cornified cell
Vaginal Cytology
Superficial
* cornified cell
Vaginal Cytology
Intermediate
* non-cornified cell
Vaginal Cytology
Parabasal
* non-cornified
Estrous Cycle
- Anestrus
- Proestrus
- Estrus
- Metestrus
Anestrus
- Non-cornified squamous cells
- Intermediate or parabasal cells
- Some neutrophils
- No RBCs
Proestrus
Early stage
* mix of parabasal, intermediate, and superficial cells
* neutrophils and RBCs
Late Stage
* large intermediate and superficial cells
* neutrophils decrease
* may or may not be RBCs
* bacteria present
Estrus
- All superficial cells - many anuclear
- May have RBCs
- No neutrophils
- Bacteria present
Metestrus
- Parabasal and intermediate cells
- Neutrophils increase
- Generally no RBCs, but may be there
Sperm
Wave Motion
Based on the amount of “swirling” activity
