Cytopathology Department

Cytopathology is the study of disease by the microscopic examination of cell preparations.  Cells may be scraped or naturally shed from the surface of an organ such as exfoliative cytology or, they may be obtained by aspiration using a needle and syringe.

This department provides the cervical cytology service for South Birmingham cervical screening call/recall programme and Gynaecology Department of the Women’s Hospital. The Department also receives and processes non-gynaecological specimens such as urine, peritoneal washings, ascitic fluid, ovarian cyst fluid, pleural fluid and pouch of Douglas fluid.

Introduction of liquid based cytology has been an important recent service development within the Department.

The quality of the service is continually maintained by recognised effective internal quality control measures, participation in Clinical Pathology Accreditation, External Quality Assurance schemes/slide rotation schemes and by correlation with relevant histology.

The new purpose-built Cytology Training Centre was completed in June 2004 and delivers Regional Cytology Training by a dedicated team of medical, technical and administrative staff.  Training is offered for smear takers, cytology screeners, biomedical scientists and pathologists throughout the region and beyond.

British Society for Clinical Cytology

International Academy of Cytology

National Association of Cytologists

NHS Cancer Screening Programmes

This page was last modified on Fri May 07 2010