Benchtop fine needle aspirations: An untapped source of cytologic educational material

Area of Science:

• Cytopathology
• Surgical Pathology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Fine needle aspirations (FNAs) are crucial for diagnosing various lesions.
• Training in FNA performance, specimen adequacy, and slide smearing presents challenges.
• Limited FNA volume in some institutions restricts hands-on practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and practicality of benchtop FNAs of fresh surgical specimens as a training tool.
• To demonstrate the utility of this method for improving cytopathology skills.
• To address the need for simulated practice scenarios in FNA training.

Main Methods:

• Performed benchtop FNAs on various fresh surgical specimens, primarily nephrectomies.
• Documented the technique and generated cytology slides.
• Correlated generated slides with surgical pathology findings.

Main Results:

• Benchtop FNAs generated high-quality cytology slides.
• The method facilitated immediate gross-microscopic and cyto-histo correlation.
• Demonstrated the potential for artifact introduction and the need for immediate specimen access.

Conclusions:

• Benchtop FNAs of fresh surgical specimens are a valuable addition to cytopathology training.
• This technique offers advantages over traditional methods, especially for low-volume FNA institutions.
• Enhances training by providing realistic practice and direct correlation opportunities.