CET Specimen Handling & Processing

Question 1

Which fixative solution is most commonly used to preserve endoscopic biopsy specimens for histological examination?

Accepted Answer

10% neutral buffered formalin

Answer

10% neutral buffered formalin is the standard fixative for routine histological processing because it preserves tissue architecture and is compatible with most staining techniques.

Question 2

When labeling a biopsy specimen container, which information is MOST critical to include?

Accepted Answer

Patient name, date of birth, and anatomical site

Answer

Patient name, date of birth, and anatomical site are essential identifiers to ensure specimens are correctly matched to the patient and the pathologist knows where tissue was obtained.

Question 3

A gastric biopsy specimen should be placed into formalin within how many minutes of collection to ensure adequate fixation?

Accepted Answer

Within 1 hour, ideally immediately

Answer

Specimens should ideally be placed in fixative immediately after collection; delayed fixation beyond 1 hour risks autolysis and tissue degradation that compromises pathology results.

Question 4

Which type of specimen requires a dry container (no formalin) and must be kept at room temperature for microbiological culture?

Accepted Answer

Tissue for H. pylori culture

Answer

Tissue submitted for H. pylori or other microbiological culture must be placed in a sterile dry container without formalin, as formalin kills organisms and prevents culture growth.

Question 5

When multiple biopsy specimens are collected from different sites during the same endoscopy, what is the safest handling practice?

Accepted Answer

Place each site's specimens in a separately labeled container

Answer

Each anatomical site must be placed in its own separately labeled container to ensure accurate pathologic correlation and prevent specimen mix-up.

(CET) Certified Endoscopy Technician Practice Test

(CET) Certified Endoscopy Technician Practice Test

CET Specimen Handling & Processing