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Choosing best slides for submission

A maximum of 2 slides per source can be submitted in the digital cytology scanner. Taking the time to choose the best slides will decrease the likelihood of a re-scan.

Assess for cellularity​

Choose slides with the most cellular material that is adequately spread.

  • Highly cellular slides where material is adequately spread

    Highly Cellular and nicely

  • Slides of lower cellularity, but material is still nicely spread

    Low Cellular but nicely spread

  • Areas of cellularity were not properly spread on these slides, resulting in highly condensed, think areas that cause difficulty in assessing cellular morphology.

    Poor spreadingPoor spreading

  • When slides contain large amounts of blood, look for aggregate areas of dark blue or purple to help ensure adequate cellularity

    Large Aggregate areas

Assess for stain quality​

Ensure slides are not under-stained and are not exposed to formalin fumes.

  • Under-stained slide

    Large Aggregate areasLarge Aggregate areas

  • Formalin fumes result in fixation of the cells and atypical staining quality

    Large Aggregate areas