cytology methods

The cytology - The study of cells. The main use of cytology is to detect abnormal cells; it is widely used to screen for cancer (as in the cervical smear test) or to confirm a diagnosis of cancer, and is increasingly used in antenatal screening to detect certain fetal abnormalities.

Examination of cells from body fluids helps doctors to determine the cause of conditions such as pleural effusion (fluid in the pleural cavity around the lungs) and ascites (abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity); for example the tests can identify whether cancer or infection is present.

Cells are collected by procedures such as scraping or fine-needle aspiration biopsy. For antenatal tests, cells from the fluid that surrounds and cushions the fetus in the uterus are obtained by means of amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.