Fine Needle Aspiration

Refer to Lucidoc SOP 14550 Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology

FNA

Path, FNA, Needle Aspirate, Cytology

Patient Preparation
 

• Prior to discussing the procedure with the patient, the patient's identification is confirmed as outlined in the Patient Identification policy.
• Prior to performing the fine needle aspiration biopsy, the risks, benefits and alternatives of the procedure are discussed with the patient and informed consent is obtained.
• The time out procedure covered under the Universal Protocol policy is followed.

• Specimen options:
  • Submit syringe (if fluid specimen) with needle removed and safety cap attached.
  • Fluid in formalin container properly labeled with patient name.
  • Core biopsy in 10% buffered formalin.
  • Core biopsy with differential diagnosis “lymphoma” should have portions of core biopsy material placed in RMPI for possible flow cytometry studies.
  • Smears: label all slides with patient’s last name and second patient identifier such as medical record number, written in #2 pencil on frosted end of slide.  Label the slide folder with the patient's name and second patient identifier such as medical record number.

• Submit the specimen to the Sierra Pathology Laboratory who determines what is to be done to the specimen according to its volume, (eg., cell block, smears, filter preparations, staining technique, etc.).
  • Submit specimen(s) in biohazard specimen bag with properly filled-out cytology requisition and face sheet from patient registration.

Fine-needle aspiration is a recognized diagnostic tool.  Reliable criteria for diagnosis have been emphasized in many papers on the subject as have the diagnostic pitfalls. The method is rapid, accurate, and essentially complication-free. The purpose is to obtain diagnostic material for cytological study from organs that do not shed cells spontaneously, eg., spleen, liver, breast, thyroid, lymph nodes, etc.  It should be used with the idea of complementing, not competing with, routine histologic biopsy