Focus: Histology focuses on the chemical composition and function of tissues, while cytology looks more at the structure and function of living organisms' cells.
Scope: Cytology focuses on a narrow specialized field, while histology is a much broader field covering several areas of study..
Cytotechnologists are laboratory professionals who study cells and cellular anomalies.
Using a microscope, they examine slides of human cells for any indication that a cell is abnormal and/or diseased (i.e., cancerous or precancerous lesions, infectious agents, or inflammatory processes)..
The Profession.
Diagnostic Cytology is the study of cells.
Cytologists perform microscopic evaluation of patient samples to diagnose cancer, precancerous lesions, benign tumors, infectious agents, and inflammatory processes..
The pathway to becoming a cytotechnologist is fairly straightforward.
Like many allied health professions, most employers prefer to hire applicants who have completed an accredited educational program and earned certification in their field.
Cytotechnologists (CTs) and other allied health professionals work behind the scenes of an examination room in laboratories to examine tissue samples for evidence of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells and infectious diseases.
Using a microscope, CTs look for cell abnormalities and support physicians and pathologists in making patient diagnoses.
The specialist certification in cytotechnology (CT) was established in 1957 and the most recent certification added in 2018 was the specialist in molecular biology (SMB) 2018.
Currently, there are more than 560,000 laboratory professionals who hold an ASPC certification.
