PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING
FEMALE GENITAL TRACT
CYTOLOGY SPECIMENS.
DRAFT COPY ONLY.
(Procedure 104).
http://www.netautopsy.org/axsop/axsop104.htm
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United States Government Work, uncopyrighted, public-domain,
DRAFT COPY ONLY. This document does not necessarily represent the views
or policies of any United States Government agency.
This document is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind,
express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties
of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and
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or in connection with the document or the use or other dealings
made with the document.
PRINCIPLE OF THE TEST.
Correct sampling of the Female Genital Tract, in order to maximize
the detection of cancer or infectious agents.
SPECIMEN REQUIRED.
Sampled Gynecologic Specimen, with
Gynecologic cytology request form (USSF-541).
REAGENTS, INSTRUMENTATION.
Cytolyt solution.
Wooden or plastic spatula.
Endocervical broom/brush.
Gynecologic Specimen Vial with PreservCyt solution.
Pencil.
Wax pencil.
Disposable 30 x 115 mm centrifuge tubes,
5.0 ml, with plug seal screw cap,
Falcon, one or two for each specimen.
15 cm Pasteur pipette with dropper bulb.
Diamond point pencil.
One 3 x 1 inch microscopic slide, frosted on side of one end.
One 24 x 5 mm cover glass.
Paper towels.
Thin-prep processor.
Glass slide.
Coplin jar of 95% ethyl alcohol.
Autoclave bag for disposal of contaminated items.
Dish of working strength disinfectant.
One liter flask with half-ounce of full-strength disinfectant.
One Cyto-Lyt centrifuge tube with solution.
Cytyc filter.
STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION.
1. Check the requisition for the required information.
2. Make sure there is a physician's signature.
3. Write the accession number on the requisition.
4. Mark the Cyto-lyt tube with the accession number.
5. Visually assess the specimen,
and write gross description on
the back of the requisition.
6. Write the patient's name and accession number
on the PreservCyt vial.
7. For best results, sampling
should include posterior fornix,
and exocervix with wooden or plastic spatula,
after removing excess mucus.
For the endocervix, obtain a commercially
available endocervical brush/broom,
or moistened cotton tip applicator.
8. The goal is to sample the entire cervix, 360o.
A representative sample from the transformation zone,
also known as the squamo-columnar junction,
is needed to provide an adequate sample for cytologic diagnosis.
9. Talcum powder or starch should be rinsed
from gloves before the preparation is made,
in order to prevent obscuring of cells by this material.
10. The speculum must be introduced without lubricant.
11. Bleeding and douching within 24 hours prior
to the taking of the specimen are not contraindications
to the taking of the specimen.
However, these conditions do not yield optimal cytology,
and the patient should be advised that it may be necessary
to repeat the study.
12. Put specimen into GYN-CytoLyt solution Vial,
and submit to the Cytology Laboratory,
with a completely filled-out SF-541 form.
13. Ready to process specimen using the appropriate Cytyc sequence.
14.
Diamond-pencil the plain end of one slide
with the accession number.
15.
Pencil the accession code on the frosted end of the slide.