What is cytology? Cytology is the exam of a single cell type, as often found in fluid specimens.
It's mainly used to diagnose or screen for cancer.
It's also used to screen for fetal abnormalities, for pap smears, to diagnose infectious organisms, and in other screening and diagnostic areas..
Cytotechnology is the microscopic study of body cells to detect cancer, viral and bacterial infections, and other abnormal conditions.
Cytotechnology techniques can identify precancerous or cancerous cells.
The field is best known for the Pap test, an evaluation of cells from the cervix..
A diagnosis of cancer is nearly always made by a pathologist – a doctor with special training to look at samples of cells or tissues under a microscope..
There are two ways to obtain the cells needed for a cytology exam.
Your doctor can collect a sample during a cystoscopy, which is an examination of the inside of the bladder, or you can provide a clean catch urine sample.
A cystoscopy is performed using a cystoscope, a thin tube with a small camera on the end.
Cytology is the examination of single cells from bodily tissues or fluids.
A specialized physician called a cytopathologist examines the cells in the tissue or fluid sample under a microscope and looks for certain characteristics or abnormalities in the cells.
What is a urine cytology test used for? .
Diagnosing diseases by looking at single cells and small clusters of cells is called cytology or cytopathology.
After a biopsy or cytology sample is taken, it must be prepared in a lab and then tested by a pathologist.
Waiting to hear about lab test results can be very stressful, and sometimes it can take a while to get the results back.
