Cytology and Cytopathology Review Flashcards

Flashcards covering core terminology, branches, collection procedures, and staining techniques in Cytology and Cytopathology based on the lecture transcript.

Cytology

A branch of diagnostic medicine that deals with the study of individual cells and/or tissue fragments spread on a laboratory slide and stained appropriately.

Cytopathology

Also known as Diagnostic Cytology, it is a branch of pathology that studies and diagnoses diseases by evaluating the cellular changes that occur in cells.

Autolysis

The spontaneous disintegration of cells or tissues by autologous enzymes, as occurs after death and in certain pathologic conditions.

Barr Body

An elongated chromatin mass located adjacent to the inner aspect of the nuclear membrane in cells of normal females ($XX$), absent in males ($XY$).

Exfoliative Cytology

Microscopic examination of cells that have been desquamated (shed) or physically removed from epithelial and mucous membranes.

Imprint/Abraded Cytology

Also known as Impression Cytology, the study of cells directly taken from the surfaces of excised/incised specimens by touching them with a clean glass slide.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB)

The first lymph node to which cancer cells are most likely to spread from the primary tumor.

Aspiration Cytology

Used to study cells from specimens that do not shed cells spontaneously (non-exfoliative), such as palpable or deep-seated lesions.

Cell Block

A technique particularly used for body cavity effusions where fluids are processed, paraffin-embedded, and sectioned using a rotary microtome.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL)

A procedure used to collect specimens from the bronchial tree and alveoli by injecting physiological saliva through a fiberoptic bronchoscope.

Thoracentesis

The clinical method used to collect fluid from the pleural cavity.

Paracentesis

Also known as Peritoneocentesis, the clinical method used to collect fluid from the abdominal or peritoneal cavity.

Saccomanno Fluid

A collection solution composed of $50\%$ Ethyl Alcohol and $2\%$ Carbowax (polyethylene glycol).

CytoLyt

An example of a lytic agent used during macroscopic evaluation to lyse RBCs in bloody samples.

Mucolex

An example of a mucolytic agent used to thin and break up mucus in mucoid specimens.

Crush Technique

Also known as the Pull-Apart Technique, a smear preparation method suggested for mucoid samples and viscous fluids.

Pull-Push Technique

Also known as the Spread Technique, a smear preparation method similar to how peripheral blood smears are made.

Carnoy’s Fluid

A fixative used for bloody specimens to lyse RBCs, containing absolute alcohol, chloroform, and glacial acetic acid.

Millipore and Nuclepore

Two types of filters used in the Membrane Filter Technique to retrieve cells from low-cellularity body fluids.

Cytocentrifuge

A special purpose instrument that concentrates body fluid cells into a $6\,mm$ circular area on a glass slide, resulting in a monolayer of cells.

Thin Prep

A type of Liquid-Based Cytology (LBC) that uses filtration and vacuum collection of cells onto a membrane before transferring them to a slide.

SurePath

A type of Liquid-Based Cytology (LBC) that uses centrifugation and sedimentation through a density gradient.

Papanicolaou Stain (PAP’s)

A multichrome staining technique developed by George Papanicolaou, considered the method of choice for exfoliative cytology.

Shorr Stain

A staining method used for vaginal smears to differentiate cornified/eosinophilic cells (bright orange-red) from non-cornified/cyanophilic cells (blue-green).

Harris Hematoxylin

The primary stain in the PAP method that targets DNA, RNA, and acid nucleoproteins.

Orange G6 (OG6)

The first counterstain in the PAP method, specifically used to stain keratin orange in keratinized squamous cells.

Eosin Azure 50 (EA50)

The second counterstain in the PAP method, consisting of Eosin Y, Light Green SF, and Bismarck Brown.