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HelpCytology, Sputum
Performing Laboratory
Billings Clinic LaboratoryMethodology
Includes liquid prep, routine Papanicolaou staining, and microscopic cytologic examination.Useful for the diagnosis of neoplasms; can aid in the diagnosis of certain nonneoplastic, infectious, or inflammatory processes.
Specimen Requirements
One early-morning specimen collected on 3 consecutive days (1 per day) is recommended for a complete sputum series. Send each collection in a separate container. Do not pool specimens.
1. Instruct patient to cough deeply and expectorate sputum into a collection vial containing 30 mL of cytology fixative.
2. Label specimen appropriately (patient’s name, history number, and specimen source) on the container—not the lid.
Note: 1. 24-Hour sputum collection is not acceptable.
2. Delayed transport of fresh, unfixed specimen may cause cellular degeneration.
3. “Deep” cough specimen, not saliva, must be collected for an optimal evaluation.
4. Please complete a “Reference Pathology/Non-Gynecologic Cytology Request Form” in “Request Forms” in “Special Instructions” including specimen source and all pertinent clinical data (clinical symptoms, history of malignancy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and tentative diagnosis), and forward it with the specimen.
Reference Values
Descriptive diagnosis of microscopic findings are generally categorized as positive, inconclusive, or negative for malignancy.Nondiagnostic or unsatisfactory results are given when material is inadequate for a diagnostic interpretation.