Introduction to Cytopathology (Cytology)
The basic premise of cytopathology is centered around the examination of individual cells rather than tissues, thereby allowing conclusions to be drawn on samples of miniscule size. Despite this simplistic premise, there is more than a modicum of subjective interpretation, pressing one to carefully consider a specimen and clinical history on the whole before rendering an interpretation able to withstand the onslaught of peer review. Cytologists must use a single cell (tree) and extrapolate to get an accurate idea of the entire tissue (forest), and as one might surmise, one bad tree does not always a bad forest make.
This section covers those tests & samples generally reserved "exclusively" for cytopathology, as well as general principles. Most of the organ systems and other anatomic pathology subspecialties have a cytology component, so if something is not found here it should be covered there.