MLHG 106 - Introduction to Histology and Cytology: Lesson 4 Vocab Flashcards

This deck covers key vocabulary terms and concepts from the cytopathology lecture notes, including specimen handling, staining, processing, and QA practices.

Accessioning

The process of recording a specimen in the Laboratory Information System (LIS) and assigning an accession number for tracking.

LIS (Laboratory Information System)

A computer system used to manage patient data, track specimens, and record processing steps and results.

Specimen rejection

Policy and criteria for rejecting specimens (e.g., labeling issues, unsuitable containers) with proper documentation.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Protective clothing and gear (gloves, gown, mask, eye protection) used in the cytology lab.

WHMIS

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System; guidelines for labeling, dating, storage, and disposal of hazardous solutions.

Sharps disposal

Safe disposal process for needles, scalpel blades, and other sharp items in approved containers.

Spill containment

Procedures for containing and cleaning up spills of biological or chemical hazards.

Ergonomics

Application of ergonomic principles to minimize repetitive strain injuries in the lab.

Kits for collecting skin scrapings

Pre-packaged kits and instructions used to collect skin scrapings.

Skin scraping

Technique using a sterile scalpel to collect epidermal cells from the skin.

Impression smear

A smear made by pressing a clean slide against a lesion or surface to collect material.

Pap smear

Gynecologic cytology sample collected from the cervix to screen for cellular changes.

Pap test

Another term for Pap smear used in clinical practice.

Gynecologic cytology

Cytology focused on the female genital tract, primarily Pap tests.

Non-gynecologic cytology

Cytology outside the gynecologic tract (e.g., urine, sputum, FNA).

Exfoliative cytology

Cytology of cells shed into fluids or surfaces (e.g., urine, sputum, bronchial brushing).

Biliary tract brushing

Exfoliative cytology sampling of the biliary tract.

Bronchial washing

Exfoliative cytology sampling from the bronchial passages.

Urine cytology

Cytology study of urine to detect cancer or inflammatory disease and identify shed urothelial cells.

Sputum cytology

Cytology study of sputum to detect abnormal cells and evaluate the lower respiratory tract.

Fine needle aspiration (FNA)

Sampling technique using a fine-gauge needle to obtain cells, often with imaging guidance.

Direct preparation

Placing unfixed material directly onto a slide for immediate fixation and staining.

Direct smear

A smear made by spreading material directly onto a slide, followed by fixation.

Liquid-based cytology

Processing platforms that produce a cleaner, more representative slide (e.g., ThinPrep, SurePath).

ThinPrep

A liquid-based cytology platform that uses filtration to deposit cells as a uniform thin layer on a slide.

SurePath

A liquid-based system using density gradient centrifugation to enrich diagnostic cells on a slide.

Cytospin

A method of depositing cells onto slides using a cytocentrifuge for concentrated samples.

Cytocentrifuge

The instrument used to perform cytospin; concentrates cells onto slides for cytology.

Coverslipper

Instrument used to apply coverslips to prepared slides in a uniform manner.

Cryostat

Instrument used to prepare frozen tissue sections for histology and certain cytology tasks.

Receiving Cytology Specimens

Process of logging arriving specimens, ensuring proper labeling and documentation.

Accessioning samples

Entering samples into the LIS and assigning accession numbers for tracking.

Specimen rejection policy

Guidelines for rejecting problematic specimens and documenting the decision.

Fixation

Stabilizing and preserving cells to prevent degradation prior to staining.

Preservation

Maintenance of specimen integrity from collection through processing.

Centrifugation

Separation of a mixture by density using a centrifuge to concentrate cells (sediment) and remove fluid (supernatant).

Sediment

Dense cell-containing material collected at the bottom after centrifugation.

Supernatant

The liquid portion above the sediment after centrifugation.

Cell block

Processing cytology material into a solid block (like a tiny biopsy) for histology-like sectioning.

Processing Cytology Samples

Includes fixation/preservation, centrifugation, cell block preparation, cytocentrifuge, direct prep, and liquid-based processors.

Papanicolaou stain

Pap stain; the most common cytology stain, nuclei stain blue-black; used for Pap tests.

Romanowsky stain

A rapid cytology stain (Diff-Quik) used on air-dried slides with two aqueous stains.

Diff Quik

Trade name for a Romanowsky-type rapid stain used in cytology.

Nuclear staining

Staining of cell nuclei (commonly with Harris Hematoxylin in Pap staining).

Bluing

Alkaline wash step that produces blue-black nuclei in Pap staining.

Harris Hematoxylin

Nuclear stain used in Pap staining to color nuclei blue-purple.

Orange G (OG-6)

Cytoplasmic counterstain used in Pap staining to color cytoplasm.

Eosin Azure (EA-36)

Cytoplasmic counterstain used in Pap staining for contrast.

Bluing step

Bluing step in Pap staining using mildly alkaline water to achieve blue nuclei.

0.25% HCl in 50% ethanol

Differentiation/acid rinse step in Pap staining protocol.

Distilled water

Washing medium used during Pap staining and rinsing steps.

Coplin jars

Jars used to hold staining solutions and reagents for slide processing.

Xylene

Clearing/mounting solvent used in Pap staining before mounting; must be free of moisture.

Mounting media

Liquid media used to mount coverslips on slides; often xylene-based.

Cytoseal

A mounting medium used to mount coverslips and preserve slides.

Coverslip

Glass covers placed over a stained slide to protect and aid viewing.

Slide labeling

Labeling slides with accession numbers and patient information for traceability.

Chain of custody

Maintaining specimen identity and patient information across all processing steps.

Gross description

Documentation of material received, including whether fresh or fixed and processing status.

Requisition

Request form with patient information and tests ordered.

Leaking specimens

Specimens that leak during collection or transport; must be documented.

Mislabelled specimens

Specimens labeled incorrectly; must be recorded and corrected.

Biohazard

Hazard associated with handling fresh unfixed cytology specimens.

Biological safety cabinet

Safety cabinet used to handle infectious or hazardous materials, reducing aerosols.

Standard precautions

Basic safety measures to protect workers from biological hazards.

Representative sampling

Ensuring the sample represents the original material to avoid false negatives.

Clots

Coagulated material that can trap diagnostic cells and cause false negatives if not managed.

False negative

A test result indicating no disease when disease is present due to poor sampling.

Traditional Pap smear collection

Clinician collects cervical cells onto slides and submits them with a requisition.

Liquid-based Pap collection

Modern Pap method where cellular material is rinsed into a preservative vial and slides are prepared in the lab.

Sputum collection procedure

Instructions to collect an adequate sputum specimen for cytology.

Early morning sputum

Preferred time for producing sputum to maximize diagnostic cells.

Refrigerate specimen

Keep the specimen cold if there is any delay before processing.

Add fixative

Add a fixative if processing delays occur to preserve cells.

50% Ethanol fixative

Standard fixative used in cytology; commonly mixed at 1:1 with specimen volume.

Specimen processing delay preservation

Use 50% ethanol or other fixatives to preserve samples when immediate processing isn’t possible.

Cytology lab safety devices

Safety features and devices used to protect personnel (e.g., safety cabinets, eye wash stations).

Cross contamination

Transfer of material between slides during staining or handling, risking erroneous results.

Staining order

Sequence of stains to minimize cross-contamination; gynecological specimens stained before endometrial.

Hydration solutions

Solutions used to rehydrate dried slides; first four solutions require filtration.

Filter-dyes

Dyes that are filtered to remove precipitates and maintain staining quality.

Coversliping precautions

Avoid touching mounting instrument to the specimen to prevent contamination.

Slide and filter handling

Handling slides and filters with forceps on frosted edge to avoid contamination.

Slide filing

Archiving prepared slides in an orderly, retrievable manner.

Archival slide retention

Policy for how long slides are kept: negative slides often 5 years (10 years in hospital labs), abnormal slides up to 20 years.

SOP (Standard Operating Procedures)

Documented procedures that everyone must follow for consistent lab work.

Quality Control (QC)

Procedures to ensure results are precise, accurate, and reproducible; includes controls.

Positive controls

Control slides or specimens that should yield a known positive result to verify staining/processing works.

Negative controls

Control samples that should yield no signal to verify absence of contamination or non-specific staining.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Overall program to ensure high-quality cytology results and adherence to standards.

Cell block preparation

Processing residual cellular material into a solid block for histology-like examination.

Density gradient reagent

Reagent used in SurePath to enrich diagnostic cells by density-based separation.

Sedimentation

Process by which denser cells settle out of a suspension onto a slide in SurePath.

Absorbent paper

Paper used in cytology to wick away fluids during cytocentrifugation.

Centrifuge safety

Protocols to safely balance tubes and cap rotors to prevent accidents.

Gloves

Part of PPE used to protect hands during specimen handling and staining.

Gown

Part of PPE used to protect clothing and skin in the lab.

Goggles

Eye protection as part of PPE during cytology procedures.

Face shield

Additional eye/face protection used during high-risk handling.

Labeling accuracy

Ensuring correct patient and specimen labels to maintain traceability.