Cytology at Leicester Hospital

What is cytology?

Cytology is a way of diagnosing or screening for diseases, including cancer, by looking at individual cells under a microscope. A doctor called a pathologist examines a small sample of cells from your body fluid or tissue, looking for changes that could suggest disease.

Why might I need a cytology test?

A doctor might request a cytology test to screen for or diagnose cancer, or to check for infections caused by things like bacteria, parasites, fungi or viruses. It can also help diagnose conditions that cause inflammation in the body.

What are the benefits of having one?

Compared with a biopsy, which removes a larger piece of tissue, a cytology test only needs a small sample of cells or fluid. This generally makes it less invasive, with less discomfort and a lower chance of complications, while still giving useful information about your health.

If a lump or abnormal finding has shown up on a scan, it's worth knowing that many of these turn out not to be cancer. A cytology test can help find this out, alongside checking for various other conditions.

Are there different types of cytology test?

There are three main ways a sample can be collected, depending on where in the body the cells come from:

• naturally shed cells, collected from body fluids such as urine, spit, or fluid from around the lungs or heart
• cells removed by brushing, scraping or washing, such as a cervical screening (smear) test, or samples taken during an endoscopy or bronchoscopy
• cells drawn out with a fine needle, often used for lumps you can feel, such as in a lymph node, your thyroid or a breast lump.

What happens during the test?

A cytology test usually follows these steps:

1. Your healthcare provider collects a sample of cells, for example by brushing or scraping tissue, collecting fluid or discharge, or using a fine needle
2. The sample is sent to a laboratory, usually on a glass slide or in a small container
3. The sample is prepared, which might include separating cells from fluid, placing them on a slide, and adding stains so they show up more clearly
4. A cytologist examines the slides under a microscope, looking for changes or abnormalities, and may also look for germs such as bacteria or parasites
5. A pathologist reviews the findings and writes a report with the diagnosis.

What happens after the test?

Once the report is ready, the pathologist sends it to the doctor who requested your test. They will go through the results with you and explain what happens next.

How long this takes can vary depending on the laboratory and the type of sample taken. Some results are ready within a day or two, while others, especially more complex samples, can take up to 2 to 4 weeks.

What are the risks?

Problems from cytology tests are rare. Possible risks include a small chance of infection at the site the sample was taken from, and a chance of a false-negative or false-positive result, where the result doesn't accurately reflect what's happening in your body.