Cytotechnologists screen cytology slides to make an assessment of adequacy and detect any abnormalities or infection in the specimen. Our cytology department processes 95,000 gynecologic pap smears and 3,300 non-gyn specimens annually. That's about 365 paps and 13 non-gyn specimens daily. Non-gyn specimens include all types of cytology specimens other than pap smears, such as fine needle aspirations (e.g. thyroid, breast, lymph node), body fluids (e.g. pleural, peritoneal, pericardial), respiratory tract specimens (e.g. bronchial washings, brushings, sputums), spinal fluids, and urinary and gastrointestinal tract specimens. Cytotechnologists make a diagnostic interpretation of the specimen slides, referring all non-gyns and abnormal paps to a pathologist for further analysis.

Quality
As always, our cytology lab strives for the highest quality possible, and this reputation for excellence is well established in the community. Here are some of the many quality services we provided for clinicians:

Nada Restom Lead Cytotechnologist Sharp Pathology Lab 5325 Metro Street San Diego, CA 619.939.3660		Lori Hargrove Cytotechnologist Sharp Pathology Lab 5325 Metro Street San Diego, CA 619.939.3660