Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNA)
The Alfred Cytology service provides a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) service.
Clinician FNA
Clinicians proficient in FNA procedure are welcome to perform their own FNA’s and submit them to the Alfred Cytology Service for reporting. Glass slides and fixatives are available from the cytology laboratory upon request (x 63088).
Pathologist Assisted FNA
Outpatients and ambulant inpatients can be referred to Anatomical Pathology where the FNA procedure can be performed by the duty pathologist. This service is only available during the hours of 09:00 to 16:00. A booking must be made (contact the Cytology Laboratory 907 63088) to ensure a Pathologist is available.
Patients must not be sent to Anatomical Pathology without prior notification.
For sick inpatients, the FNA procedure can be performed at the bedside, by the Duty Pathologist, assisted by a cytology scientist.
A Pathology request slip must be completed by the requesting clinician, before the procedure.
CT & Ultrasound Assisted FNA
FNA’s of deeply placed lesions and organs, which require CT or Ultrasound guidance, should be discussed with the department of Radiology (x 62118 or 62388) in the first instance. Cytology staff are available to attend these guided FNA procedures to ensure specimen adequacy and to triage cellular material for other investigations, such as Flow Cytometry, Immunohistochemistry and Microbiology.
Cytology morphological results can be made available within hours of the procedure.