PAP Quality Control and Laboratory Standards 3

Question 1

For ThinPrep and SurePath liquid-based Pap tests, what QC step must occur before the vial is processed?

Accepted Answer

Patient label and requisition matching

Answer

Centrifugation verification

Answer

Stain concentration check

Answer

CO2 incubation

Question 2

Which College of American Pathologists (CAP) requirement mandates that gynecologic cytology slides be retained for a minimum of:

Accepted Answer

5 years

Answer

1 year

Answer

3 years

Answer

10 years

Question 3

An internal audit reveals that one cytotechnologist's ASC-US to SIL ratio is significantly higher than peers. The most appropriate next step is:

Accepted Answer

Conduct a performance review and targeted slide retraining

Answer

Immediately terminate the cytotechnologist

Answer

Report to the state medical board immediately

Answer

Ignore the finding if no patient complaints exist

Question 4

Which automated system is FDA-approved for primary screening of liquid-based Pap tests, allowing a cytotechnologist to review only flagged cases?

Accepted Answer

BD FocalPoint GS Imaging System

Answer

Abbott RealTime HPV

Answer

cobas HPV Test

Answer

Roche Unipath

Question 5

When a laboratory performs a 10% random rescreen of negative gynecologic cytology cases, any discrepancy found must be:

Accepted Answer

Documented, reported, and used for quality improvement

Answer

Discarded if minor

Answer

Communicated only to the patient

Answer

Archived without review

Question 6

A laboratory notices its unsatisfactory Pap rate increased from 1% to 5% after switching to a new clinician group. The best investigation step is to:

Accepted Answer

Review collection techniques and provide clinician education

Answer

Change the laboratory staining protocol

Answer

Lower the unsatisfactory threshold

Answer

Discard the new clinician's specimens

Question 7

Under CLIA, which entity is responsible for directing the cytology laboratory's quality assurance program and signing off on QC policies?

Accepted Answer

The laboratory director

Answer

The cytotechnologist supervisor

Answer

The hospital administrator

Answer

The ordering clinician