Cytology II

Question 1

characteristics of cytology

Answer 1

study of individual cells
fast, inexpensive, non-invasive

Question 2

characteristics of histology

Answer 2

evaluation of cellular architecture, requires tissue samples, complex process

Question 3

swabbing collection technique

Answer 3

used for body cavities and abscesses
use clean, dry, or saline moistened swab, roll the swab across the microscope slide
can pass ear swabs through a flame to dissolve wax
swab the edge of an abscess because you will only see WBCs if you swab the middle

Question 4

scraping collection technique

Answer 4

used for tissues from necropsy, surgery, external lesions
hold the scalpel blade nearly perpendicular to the tissue and gently scrape the tissue surface multiple times followed by a squash prep

Question 5

fine needle aspirate/biopsy collection technique

Answer 5

used for SQ masses and body cavities accessible to needles
might see ectopic cells due to contamination or metastasis
use squash prep

Question 6

how do you collect fluid samples?

Answer 6

collect in a syringe and can be put into a EDTA tube or red top tube
see if vet wants a culture

Question 7

what do you do first with fluid samples?

Answer 7

measure total protein and specific gravity
centrifuge the sample for smears: 5 minutes on low speed

Question 8

touch preps/impression slides

Answer 8

used for solid tissue, biopsy specimens, and accessible surfaces (like dermis, gingiva, mucosa)
cut off a piece of tissue, dab blood and liquid off, press onto slide a few times

Question 9

tzaunch prep

Answer 9

used for external lesions
common technique for viruses that form papules or dermatological conditions that form papules
can use on the underside of a scab

Question 10

stains used in cytology

Answer 10

romanowsky stains most common: Diff-Quick, Wright-Giemsa, new methylene blue
rapid stains may not stain basophils or mast cells adequately

Question 11

what is new methylene blue stain good for in cytology?

Answer 11

seeing nucleus and nucleoli but not good for seeing cytoplasm

Question 12

modified smear prep

Answer 12

rotate 45 degrees and lift up

Question 13

fried egg smears

Answer 13

properly stained and smeared
similarity in appearance of nucleus and cytoplasm to egg yolk and white

Question 14

hard boiled egg smears

Answer 14

preparation too thick or improperly stained
cell outline may be seen but intracellular detail isn’t visible

Question 15

scrambled egg smears

Answer 15

smeared too thin
causes cell lysis and disruption of cellular architecture

Question 16

cytology microscopic exam

Answer 16

scan on low power: determine if cells are uniform type, shape, and size
investigate on high power or oil: look for trends and determine if sample is normal, inflammatory, or neoplastic

Question 17

purulent inflammation

Answer 17

> 85% neutrophils
can see some macrophages and lymphocytes
most common and is a sign of acute inflammation

Question 18

granulomatous inflammation

Answer 18

> 70% mononuclear (monocytes, macrophages) + neutrophils
sign of chronic inflammation

Question 19

pyogranulomatous inflammation

Answer 19

50-75% neutrophils and macrophages

Question 20

what should you do if the sample is showing neutrophilic destruction and a toxic environment?

Answer 20

this suggests a bacterial infection and the lesion should be cultured

Question 21

eosinophilic sample signs

Answer 21

> 10% eosinophils
sometimes can see mast cells, plasma cells, and lymphocytes

Question 22

signs of sepsis

Answer 22

intracellular bacteria

Question 23

degenerative sample signs

Answer 23

nuclear changes in neutrophils

Question 24

benign (hyperplasia) sample signs

Answer 24

homogenous populations of same cell type
no evidence of malignancy

Question 25

malignant sample signs

Answer 25

morphological changes to cytoplasm and nuceli
3-5 criteria must be met

Question 26

round cell tumor characteristics

Answer 26

high cellularity, individual cells, round shape
ex: mast cell tumor, lymphosarcoma

Question 27

epithelial cell tumor characteristics

Answer 27

high cellularity, cluster cells, cubodial shape
ex: squamous cell carcinoma, hepatocellular adeno-carcinoma

Question 28

mesenchymal cell tumor characteristics

Answer 28

low cellularity, individual cells, spindle shape
ex: lipoma, osteosarcoma

Question 29

epithelial/glandular/mesothelial cells

Answer 29

cells that cover internal and external body surfaces (ex: vaginal, goblet cells)
tend to cluster or occur in sheets
large cells with high cellularity
can develop a carcinoma or adenocarcinoma which are malignant
adenoma = benign

Question 30

mesenchymal cell tumors

Answer 30

spindle to stellate (star) shaped
seen on connective tissue
small to medium size
edges of the cytoplasm may be indistinct
sarcoma = malignant
-oma = benign

Question 31

round cell tumors

Answer 31

discrete, round cells
discrete = distinct, separate
small to medium size
high cellularity in aspirates

Question 32

fecal cytology

Answer 32

diagnostic tool for diarrhea
looking for bacterial numbers, types, and other cells like RBCs, WBCs, tissue cells, and yeast

Question 33

skin cytology

Answer 33

identifies skin/superficial infections
looking for infectious agents (bacteria, yeast, numbers, types, evidence of infection)
collection techniques: scrape, impression smear/touch prep, tape prep

Question 34

which cells are seen during anestrus?

Answer 34

intermediate or parabasal cells, no RBCs, possibly some neutrophils

Question 35

which cells are seen during proestrus?

Answer 35

beginning of heat
early proestrus: mix of neutrophils, parabasal, intermediate and superficial cells
late proestrus: decreased neutrophils, mostly large intermediate and superficial cells, +/- RBCs

Question 36

which cells are seen during estus?

Answer 36

mating period
all superficial cells, small nuclei or anuclear, +/- RBCs, no neutrophils, +/- bacteria

Question 37

which cells are seen during metestrus?

Answer 37

aka diestrus: after heat
parabasal/intermediate cells replace superficial cells, increased neutrophils, maybe some RBCs

Question 38

what questions should you ask yourself while looking at a cytology sample?

Answer 38

is the sample adequately prepared?
is there a uniform population of cells?
- what type of cells are they?
is the sample inflammatory?
-what type of inflammation is present?
is the sample neoplastic?
- benign or malignant signs?