Unlock hundreds more features
Save your Quiz to the Dashboard
View and Export Results
Use AI to Create Quizzes and Analyse Results

OR
Sign inSign in with Facebook
Sign inSign in with Google
Quizzes > Health & Medicine

Cytology Quiz: Sharpen Your Diagnostic Skills

Quick, free cytology practice test with instant results and explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Consoll LlcUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 15
Study OutcomesAdditional Reading
3D voxel art illustrating the study and practice of Diagnostic Cytology

This cytology quiz helps you practice core diagnostic skills, from cell recognition to smear interpretation. Answer concise cases, see instant results, and learn from clear explanations to strengthen accuracy and speed. If you want to broaden your review, try our histology practice test, explore tissue patterns with an epithelial tissue quiz, or refresh fundamentals in a cell biology quiz.

Which staining method is most commonly used for cervical cytology screening in Papanicolaou tests?
Papanicolaou stain
Ziehl-Neelsen stain
Giemsa stain only
Masson trichrome
undefined
In fine-needle aspiration cytology, ROSE primarily helps with which aspect?
Definitively grading tumor histology
Sterilizing the needle between passes
Assessing sample adequacy at the time of collection
Fixing slides without alcohol
undefined
True or False: Koilocytosis in cervical cytology is typically associated with high-risk HPV infection.
True
False
undefined
True or False: Endocervical/transformation zone component is a quality indicator in cervical screening specimens.
False
True
undefined
True or False: Air-drying artifact most significantly affects Papanicolaou-stained gynecologic smears if fixation is delayed.
True
False
undefined
Which stain is most helpful to highlight mucin in cytology samples of suspected adenocarcinoma?
Congo red
Oil Red O on formalin-fixed slides
Mucicarmine
Von Kossa
undefined
Which organism shows pseudohyphae and budding yeast forms on Pap or GMS-stained cytology?
Chlamydia trachomatis
Trichomonas vaginalis
Herpes simplex virus
Candida species
undefined
Liquid-based cytology primarily improves which of the following compared with conventional Pap smears?
Improved detection of tuberculosis
Enhanced visualization of fungi with silver stains
Reduction of obscuring blood and inflammation
Increased nuclear pleomorphism artifact
undefined
Which feature most strongly supports malignancy in cytology smears?
Abundant thin watery cytoplasm without atypia
Uniform round nuclei with smooth contours
Evenly spaced small nuclei with fine chromatin
Irregular nuclear membranes with coarse chromatin and prominent nucleoli
undefined
In pleural effusion cytology, which cell type can mimic adenocarcinoma due to prominent nucleoli and windows between cells?
Eosinophils
Neutrophils
Reactive mesothelial cells
Mast cells
undefined
True or False: The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology focuses on detecting high-grade urothelial carcinoma.
False
True
undefined
Which cytologic finding is most characteristic of trichomoniasis on Pap tests?
Multinucleation with molding and ground-glass nuclei
Pear-shaped organisms with flagella and perinuclear inflammation
Pseudohyphae and budding yeasts
Basement membrane fragments
undefined
Which of the following best describes a benefit of cell block preparation from cytology specimens?
Eliminates the need for any smear preparation
Improves detection of parasites only
Allows histology-like sections for immunohistochemistry and molecular tests
Prevents all formalin-related artifacts
undefined
True or False: In lymph node FNAC, a polymorphous population of small lymphocytes, centroblasts, and tingible body macrophages suggests reactive hyperplasia.
True
False
undefined
The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology recommends which adequacy criterion for a conventional smear?
At least 50 total follicular cells in any distribution
At least 6 groups of 10 well-visualized follicular cells
At least 3 clusters of Hurthle cells regardless of size
Presence of colloid only is sufficient
undefined
Which ancillary test is most useful to detect EGFR mutations on lung adenocarcinoma cytology samples?
Periodic acid-Schiff without diastase
Prussian blue staining
Giemsa cytochemical staining
Molecular PCR or NGS on cell block or extracted DNA
undefined
In thyroid FNAC, which feature favors papillary thyroid carcinoma?
Abundant colloid without atypia
Uniform microfollicles with bland nuclei only
Nuclear grooves and pseudoinclusions
Pure Hurthle cell sheets without nuclear features
undefined
True or False: Decoy cells with enlarged nuclei and basophilic inclusions in urine are characteristic of BK polyomavirus infection.
False
True
undefined
Which finding best distinguishes mesothelial cells from metastatic adenocarcinoma in effusions?
Peripheral cytoplasmic blebs and windows between apposing cells
Signet ring cells with targetoid mucin
Gland-like clusters with mucin droplets
Keratinized squamous cells
undefined
True or False: In salivary gland FNAC, abundant chondromyxoid stroma with plasmacytoid myoepithelial cells suggests Warthin tumor.
False
True
undefined
0

Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze cytological samples to identify key diagnostic features.
  2. Interpret blood smear findings to support accurate clinical diagnoses.
  3. Apply diagnostic criteria to evaluate and differentiate cytology cases.
  4. Articulate detailed written descriptions and interpretations of cytological specimens.
  5. Critically assess case outcomes through one-on-one training insights.

Diagnostic Cytology Additional Reading

Embarking on your journey into diagnostic cytology? Here are some top-notch resources to enhance your learning experience:
  1. Dive into over 1,160 digital slides from Massachusetts General Hospital, covering a wide array of cytopathology specimens collected over two decades.
  2. Explore challenging cases from past ASC Annual Scientific Meetings, perfect for group discussions or personal review.
  3. A concise guide covering indications, collection techniques, and interpretation of cytological findings in small animals.
  4. An overview of cytopathology, including history, specimen types, and the role in early cancer detection.
  5. Access a variety of cytopathology resources, including unknown conferences and links to professional societies.
Make a Quiz (FREE) Copy & Edit This Quiz Create a Quiz with AI

Health & Medicine Quizzes

Powered by: Quiz Maker