Cytology Flashcards
What are the advantages of cytology?
Quick, easy and cheap Non-invasive Minimal risk Screening tool Useful for diagnosis
What are the limitations of cytology?
Greatly relies on sample quality
Lack of information about tissue architecture
Diagnostic challenges
What is hitopathology?
Tissue sample More expensive Slower turn around Poor detail for round cell tumours Tissue architecture
What samples can be taken for cytology?
Aspiration
- Masses
- LNs
- Organs
Fluids
- Body cavities
- Joints
- Resp tract
- CSF
What are touch impressions (imprints) good for?
Evaluation of excised tissues or superficial lesions
Inflammation vs neoplasia on cytology?
Inflammation = dominated by inflammatory cells
Neoplasia = dominated by tissues cells
Indicators of inflammatory sepsis on cytology?
Bacteria/organisms
Degenerate neutrophils
Bacteria intracellular within neutrophils
Extracellular may be contaminants
Indicators of non-septic inflammation on cytology?
No bacteria/organisms
Neutrophils non-degenerate
What are degenerate neutrophils changes?
Nuclear change
Nucleus swwells
Secondary to release of bacterial toxins
How can you differentiate between stain precipitate or bacteria on cytology?
Bacteria are blue whereas precipitate is the same colour as nucleus
Characteristics of round cells on cytology?
Individual cells
Small-medium size
Round cells and nuclei
Well defined cell borders
Characteristics of epithelial cells on cytology?
Found in sheets/clusters
Large
Cell-to-cell junctions
Cytoplasm often abundant
Characteristics of mesenchymal cells on cytology?
Individual or clumps Small-medium Spindle to fisiform to stellate Indistinct cell borders Matrix production
Criteria of malignancy?
Ansiocytosis (variation size) Macrocytosis (large cells) Cell crowding Anisokaryosis (nucleus var.) Multinucleated Macrokaryosis (giant nuclei) High nuclear:cytoplasm ratio Increased mitotic figures Coarse chromatim
