Various types of specimen can be collected for cytological analysis, depending on the site the specimen is being collected from.

FNA

Fine needle aspirates are common cytology specimens and are typically collected from masses and solid organs including lymph nodes, thyroid, salivary glands, breast, pancreas and lung. A needle with or without a syringe is used to collect the sample; suction can be applied with the syringe to collect material inside the needle. The sample may be expelled onto a slide and a smear preparation made or the needle washed into a pot of preservative and the liquid sample used to prepare slides. Some aspirates are collected by sampling directly through the skin and some are collected endoscopically including the sampling of peribronchial lymph nodes during endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) examination.

Fluids

Some samples can be collected directly as fluids e.g. pleural, peritoneal or pericardial fluid, and urine specimens.

Brushings

Some specimens can be collected by using a brush to scrape cells from a surface e.g. from the bronchus or bile duct, via an endoscope. The brush may be smeared directly onto a slide or washed in cytology preservative and a liquid sample submitted to the laboratory.

Washings

To collect this type of sample, fluid is introduced to wash the area to be sampled. Peritoneal washings are often taken at the time of surgery for gynaecological malignancies to assess potential involvement of the peritoneum. Washing is often used for bronchial specimens, in addition to taking brushings. A bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimen is a specific type of sampling done by wedging the tip of a bronchoscope into a small bronchus and washing the distal airways.