Cytology Flashcards
What is cytology?
The microcopic evaluation of cellular material for diagnosis of disease
What is a cell block?
A pllet or button of centrifuged cells that can be processed like a typical histological sample
What is a conventional PAP?
Collected with a spatula or brush and smeared directly onto a glass slide in a thin layer, which is then immediately fixed with spray fixative (used to be hairspray)
What is a non-conventional PAP?
Ex thin-prep or surepath
Specimen is collected with a spatula, brush, or cervical broom, then rinsed in a vial of preservative before smeared in a thin layer on a slide in the lab
How to reduce blood in smears?
Add glacial acetic acid
Compare the two types of non-conventional PAP methods
Sure Path: brush is swirled and left in the preservative, which is a very weak alcohol base, and preps are made by sedimentation of cells
ThinPrep: Brush is not left in the test vial, preservative is a weak methanol base called preservecyt, and preps are collected via filtration
What are prefixatives?
holding solutions for certain cytological samples, especially important when the sample needs to be transported from one site to another, major ingredient is a form of alcohol
What is Saccomanno and what is it made of?
A prefixative/holding solution made of 50% ethyl alcohol and carbowax
What is alcoholic saline and what is it made of?
A pre-fixative/holding solution made of a 1:1 ratio of 50% ethyl alcohol and saline
What is the difference between saccomanno and alcoholic saline?
Both are holding solutions used for some cytologic specimens such as cerebral spinal fluids
saccomano contains carbowax while alcoholic saline contains saline
What types of specimens are cytology brushings?
PAP/gyn, bronchial, esophogea, gastric
What types of specimens are cytology washings?
bronchial, esophogeal, gastric
any BAL or lavage specimens
Which fixatives are acceptable for cytology?
typically ethanol or methanol, and methanol causes less celular shrinkage
How to handle sparsely cellular specimens?
centrifuge to concentrate the cells
How to reduce blood in smears?
Add glacial acetic acid
Heparin to prevent clotting at sample collection
What are the four methods used to produce cell blocks?
centrifugation
What are the four methods used to produce cell blocks?
centrifugation
clots and heavy mucous are preferred over sparse cellular specimens for block making
Spontaneous clots
cellular material trapped in mucous
loose cellular material
loose cellular material prepared with agar
What is the purpose of a PAP test?
to identify HPV and cervical cancer or generally cellular abnormalities that may be pre-cancerous
What are the collection methods for non-gynecologic materials?
Brushings, washes, our liquid collection like urine or sputum
