This is a fairly common problem with ThinPrep slides even after educating our clinicians. We have found that vortexing the vial a minute or two just before processing helps with the cellularity. If you visually inspect the vial there is quite a bit of clumping. I think the vortexing helps break apart the clumps. The recovery rate seems to depend on how much lubricant is present in the vial. Vortexing is not 100% effective but it has cut down our unsatisfactory rate.
Valerie N Biendara SCT(ASCP)IAC -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Pence Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 9:27 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] Cyto prep question I know this many not be the forum to ask this question, but I know many of us have cyto depts. within our labs. We have been seeing an increase in the number of unsatisfactory urine specimens from our Urology group lately and it is due to lubricant on the ThinPrep filter. We have worked with the Urology group and they are using the recommended lubricant from the manufactory. We see the problem even when the urine is diluted in CytoLyt for several hours. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Thanks in advance, Mike _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet