[Histonet] Re: Thyroid smears

[Robert Richmond]

Cytopreparation of thyroid FNA specimens is basically the
cytotechnologists' responsibility. They should have some of the
standard textbooks.

Air dry for Romanowsky-type (Diff-Quik) staining, of course, and
alcohol fix for the Pap stain. The pathologist must decide which of
these is to be used. A lot of old-timers like me aren't comfortable
with Diff-Quik for cytology.

The recent Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (Ali SZ
and Cibas ES, Springer-Verlag 2010) doesn't get into methods much. It
does cite a paper that I would think might be useful if you can get
it. Pitman MB at al. Techniques for thyroid FNA. in Diagnostic
Cytopathology 2008;36(6):407-424.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN (and snowed in there all this week!)