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Breast pathology – Cytopathology of the breast – Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) procedure – Smear preparation technique

  

The goal of smear preparation is to allow optimal distribution of well-preserved cells and small tissue fragments on the slide. Some common smearing techniques are described below.

One-step technique
  1. Pick up the slide with the harvest at one end between the thumb and the forefinger of the non-dominant hand. The other fingers are used to create a steady platform beneath the slide.
  2. Pick up a clean slide with the dominant hand and place its lower long edge against the first slide at a 45–90° angle next to the droplet.
  3. Rotate the top slide until the two slides are flush.
  4. Spread the material by sliding the top slide in one smooth motion along the entire length of the bottom slide.













Two-step technique
The two-step technique is used in order to separate the tissue fragments prior to smear preparation when the aspirated material is diluted with blood and fluid.
  1. Pick up the slide with visible tissue fragments at one end between the thumb and the forefinger of the non-dominant hand.
  2. Tilt the slide so that the blood and/or fluid runs down along the long edge of the slide and the tissue fragments remain in the centre.
  3. Use the short edge of a second clean slide to remove these fragments.
  4. Place this second slide with tissue fragments at a 45–90° angle against a third clean (bottom) slide and rotate it until it is flush with the bottom slide. Then pull it along the entire length of the bottom slide.


























































  


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