FNA and Cytology Sampling Techniques Flashcards
What is Cytology?
The examination of cells Including
* Aspirate smears
* Fluid Smears
* Impression Smears
* Tape Strips
What are some ways you can collect samples for cytology?
- Fine needle aspiration (can either be with or without suction)
- Fluid aspiration with either ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ fluids
- Fluid/Washes
- Impression smears
- Tape strips or skin scrapes
- swabs
What are the two ways of FNA or FNB
- Free Needle
- With Suction
How does a Free Needle FNA work?
- Only use the needle- not attached to a syringe
- optimal for delicate cells such as lymphocytes
How does a FNA with suction work?
- You use it when cell yield is low
- Aspirate with a syringe whilst the needle is in the mass
- may be needed more often for certain cell types e.g spindle cells
What do you after placing the needle into the mass?
- Ideally should be a 23G or 21G needle
- either rapidly pull the needle back n forth in a woodpecker motion
- or pull air into the syringe and then re-direct the needle within the mass
How would you take a swab impression smear?
- can moisten the swab with sterile water
- roll over the area to be sampled
- roll the swab along the length of the smear
How may you take an impression smear from an ulcerated external lesion?
- lightly press the slide 2-3 times on the area, moving the slide to a new area each time
- you can use a scalpel to reach deeper layers after its been cleaned and surgically pprepared
How would you make impression smears from a tissue biopsy?
Make a fresh cut surface of the tissue
lightly blot the cut surface to remove excess blood
press the tissue lightly to the surface of the glass slide
lightly roll to help exfoliate cells
How would you perform a tape strip?
Place tape over thee area to be sampled
Attach the tape to the slide in a large loop
stain the tape by the dipping
apply the tape to the slide
What stain do you use in-house?
rapid Romanowsky stain
