Fine Needle Aspirate (Thyroid)
Thyroid, Neck Mass, Paratracheal Mass
- Tech Only CPT 88173, 88108
- Tech Pro CPT 88173 (2), 88108 (2)
- PowerPath Code NGTHY, NGTHYRF
- Schedule Monday - Friday
- Turn Around Time Within 2 business days of receipt
- Disease State Benign Conditions, Malignant Conditions, Metastatic Cancers
- Methodology Cell Concentrated Cytology
Organs
Specimen Requirements
CytoLyt fixed (Preferred), Formalin fixed, or fresh fluid in sterile container. No minimum/maximum volume requirements. Small volume may limit interpretation.
-And/Or-
Direct smears of aspirate, alcohol fixed or air dried at collection.
Collection instructions:
Cyst Fluid
1. Rinse fluid obtained by fine needle aspirate directly into an equal volume of CytoLyt fixative, if available. If no fixative is available, specimen may be refrigerated and submitted fresh.
2. Cap tightly and refrigerate.
Solid Mass
1. Specimens may be submitted in collection fluid or smeared onto glass slides.
2. Immediately place slide(s) in 95% ethanol or spray with cytology fixative – please do not air dry.
3. Additional air-dried smears should also be submitted when appropriate: ex. thyroid, salivary gland, lymph nodes.
Smears
1. Using a pencil, write the patient’s name and date of birth on the frosted end of two or more slides.
2. Place a single drop of fluid from the needle aspirate on a slide. Spread with a second slide, as you would with a blood smear.
3. Place in 95% ethanol or spray with cytology fixative – please do not air dry. Fix slides quickly so that no air drying occurs prior to fixation.
Thyroid Specimens
1. Submit one air-dried and one alcohol-fixed smear from each aspirate – remainder of specimen should be added to needle rinsings. Please see CellNetix thyroid FNA molecular analysis data sheet for proper collection in addition to Thyroid FNA collection. Additional pass is required.
All Samples
1. If tissue fragments are noted, place them in 10% neutral buffered formalin and submit for a cell block.
2. Cap tightly and refrigerate
Clinical Significance
Cellular morphology of cytologic specimens is interpreted to diagnose inflammatory, neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions. In addition, cytologic diagnoses is used to monitor recurrent and metastatic malignant conditions.
Required Patient Info
2 patient identifiers
Storage and Transportation
When possible, store specimen at 2°C - 8°C, particularly for unfixed specimens. Specimen may be transported at 15°C - 30°C. Do not freeze.
Cause for Rejection
Improper or inadequate patient identification, frozen specimens
Retention
Primary specimen container: 7 days from processing
Slide: 10 years