Cytology

Question 1

What is cytology?

Answer 1

The science of leukaemia cells

Question 2

What are the advantages of cytology?

Answer 2

• Cheap, easy, quick
• Less invasive than biopsy
• Fewer complications

Question 3

What are the collection techniques for cytology?

Answer 3

• Fine needle aspiration (FNA)
• Impression smears
• Scrape, swab, brushings

Question 4

What to look for in a cytology exam?

Answer 4

• If sample adequate?
• Native or foreign cells?
• If inflammation, classify to cell type
• If tissue, benign or malignant?

Question 5

How do you classify inflammation?

Answer 5

• Purulent, suppurative, neutrophilic (if neutrophils present then look for bacteria! 100x)
• Eosinophilic (allergy, parasitic)
• Mononuclear cells (macrophages or multinucleated giant cells = granulomatous inflammation)
• Mixed

Question 6

What is meant by marked inflammation?

Answer 6

Too many cells in the smear

Question 7

What are the 3 categories of cell/tumour types? Describe each

Answer 7

• Epithelial (large, polyhedral, high cellularity, clusters)
• Mesenchymal (Small/medium, spindle to stellate, low cellularity, occur singularly)
• Discrete round cell (Small/medium, round cells, good cellularity, occur singularly)

Question 8

What is the cytoplasmic criteria of malignancy in cells? What characteristics make a cell malignant?

Answer 8

> 3 criteria for malignancy in cells

• Anisocytosis (different cell sizes)
• Macrocytosis (huge cells that arent supposed to be that size)
• Hypercellular (too many cells)
• Pleomorphism (multiple shapes and sizes)
• Basophilia (too many)

Question 9

How would a body fluid exam be carried out?

Answer 9

• Collect fluid into an EDTA
• Plain tube for bacteriology
• Prepare smears ASAP
• Centrifuge unless overly purulent
• Blood film or line concentration technique

Question 10

What is transudate effusion?

Answer 10

• Clear/colourless
• Low SG, low protein, & nucleated cell count
• Mostly methothesial cells(inside walls of cavities)/macrophages
• Hypoproteinaemia

Question 11

What is modified transudate?

Answer 11

• Modified by leakage of fluid from lymphatics or blood vessels
• Increase in neutrophils, SG and NCC
• Congestive heart failure

Question 12

What is chylothorax? What would you see during FNA? What are the causes?

Answer 12

-Lymph fluid that leaks into the lungs
-Milky white/pink
-Fat layer after refrigeration
-Numerous small lymphocytes? modifies with time - increase in no of neutrophils/macrophages
Causes:
Idiopathic, trauma, feline cardiomyopathy, neoplasia

Question 13

What should be seen in a cytological exam of synovial fluid?

Answer 13

• <3x10^9/L NCC per 50/100x view
• Finely stippled eosinophilic background (pink)
• Large mononuclears
• Neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes
• *Synovial fluid should have a low protein content and should not clot.