How cytology is performed and indicate the normal value?
Cytology involves looking at the cells in a particular fluid specimen, usually thoracentesis (chest) fluid, or fluid from a cyst in the breast or thyroid. Generally you are asking the pathologist to diagnose or exclude cancer. They will look at the fluid under a microscope, using various chemicals to stain the cells different colors depending on their properties. This is to see if the cells look normal or look aytpical or cancerous. There is not a “normal value” for cytology. It’s not expressed numerically. A normal report would read something like “benign” or “negative for malignancy” or might describe the cells such as “many neutrophils and macrophages, no atypical lymphocytes, negative for malignancy.” An abnormal result would describe what they found: “Atypical lymphocytes consistent with hodgkin’s lymphoma” or “Non-small cell lung carcinoma.” You might get numerical values for cell counts or other fluid studies, such as 360 white blood cells per hpf (microscope field), 38 red bloo
