Histology Certification Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of running a positive control slide in immunohistochemistry?

Accepted Answer

To confirm the antibody and detection system are functioning correctly

Answer

To verify staining is negative in normal tissue

Answer

To test the quality of the mounting medium

Answer

To assess the pH of the buffer solution

Question 2

Which organization provides the accreditation checklist most widely used for histology laboratory quality standards in the United States?

Accepted Answer

College of American Pathologists (CAP)

Answer

American Medical Association (AMA)

Answer

American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC)

Answer

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Question 3

A Levey-Jennings chart is used in histology QC primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Track staining results over time to detect trends and shifts

Answer

Record tissue fixation times for each case

Answer

Document reagent lot numbers and expiration dates

Answer

Monitor autoclave temperature cycles

Question 4

What does 'lot-to-lot verification' mean in histology quality control?

Accepted Answer

Testing new reagent batches against established performance criteria before routine use

Answer

Comparing staining results between different lab technicians

Answer

Verifying tissue sections from consecutive tissue blocks are equivalent

Answer

Comparing staining results between morning and afternoon shifts

Question 5

When a routine H&E QC slide fails to meet acceptable standards, the first action a histotechnologist should take is to:

Accepted Answer

Investigate and identify the root cause of the failure

Answer

Report the failure to the pathologist immediately and hold all cases

Answer

Discard all patient slides stained in that run

Answer

Repeat the stain using an entirely different protocol

Question 6

Which document type formally describes the step-by-step instructions for performing a specific histology procedure to ensure consistency?

Accepted Answer

Standard operating procedure (SOP)

Answer

Quality manual

Answer

Laboratory logbook

Answer

Proficiency testing report

Question 7

Proficiency testing (PT) in histology laboratories serves primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Compare a lab's performance against external standards and peer laboratories

Answer

Train new laboratory employees on staining techniques

Answer

Verify the accuracy of individual microscopes used for diagnosis

Answer

Document reagent inventory and expiration tracking