ASCP CG Certification Practice Exam
questions and Answers
What is the best agent to use against mycoplasma? - -BM cyclin - a
combination of two antibiotics (tiamulin and minocycline) that effecticely
targets mycoplasma growth
- For successful harvest, each new batch of hypotonic solution should be
evaluated by: - -comparing the new lot to a lot already in use
- Colagenase, pronase, and trypsin are: - -Proteolytic enzymes - break down
tissues into single-cell suspensions
- When harvesting peripheral blood cultures, asceptic technique no longer
matters following incubation with: - -Colcemid - mitotic spindle poison that
halts cells at metaphase
- Samples that arrive at the cytogenetics lab should first be: - -Logged in to
the system
- Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates which type of cells into division? - -T-
cell lymphocytes
- To avoid culture failure, monitoring reagents is crucial. When logging a
culture failure, what is the MOST important to document? - -Expiration dates
of reagents used
- Which type of microscope is used when cleaning a CVS (chorionic villus)
sample? - -Dissection
- Which cell type is most problematic if found in a CVS (chorionic villus)
sample? - -Decidua (maternal tissue)
- When looking at a slide under a phase contrast scope and a lot of
cytoplasm is still seen around the mets, what is the most likely cause? - -
innappropriate slide drying time
- What will help prevent microbial contamination and cross contamination of
cultures? - -Asceptic technique
- When there are not enough mets to complete the study of a patient/case,
what needs to be done next? - -prepare additional slides from any remaining
sample
, - When looking at a dropped slide under a phase scope and mets are very
spread out and sparse, what could help fix the issue? - -Increading the
drying time by using warm slides
- What is true of an inverted microscope? - -the objectives are beneath the
stage
- High-resolution banding is indicated for a possible diagnosis of: - -
DiGenorge syndrome -- microdeletion of 22q11, also called velocardiofacial
syndrome
"velo" - soft palette,
"cardio" - congenital heart defects,
"facial" - unique abnormal facial features, short philtrum (upper lip indent),
tubular nose, wide spread eyes, etc
- When verifying if a specimen is appropriate for cytogenetic analysis, what
is the MOST important data to accompany the specimen? - -Reason for
referral
- Which type of specimen should be requested for a cytogenetic analysis for
turner syndrome? - -Heparinized peripheral blood stored at room
temperature
(NOT FROZEN)
- A blood sample can be used to study the cytogenetics of a malignancy only
if: - -Dividing leukemic cells are present in circulation
- All of the cultures in a CO2 incubator failed, what aspects of the incubator
are important to monitor to assess the source of the problem? - -
Temperature,
CO2 level, and
Humidity level
- The most important factor affecting the quality of chromosomes viewed
under a phase contrast scope is: - -Slide drying after the cells have been
dropped
- What is the modal number (default number of chromosomes in a cell) for a
Down syndrome translocation carrier? - -45
- What is the best tissue to use for both a good success rate and
abnormality detection in spontaneous abortion miscarriages? - -Chorionic
villi
, - What is a possible cause for a drying oven to not maintain a proper
temperature? - -The door does not seal properly
- If a tech with a cold and sneezing does not take proper precautions while
setting up amniotic fluid samples, the specimen could become contaminated
with: - -Mycoplasma
--> the most common contaminant by a sick tech and can be detected
through a specific stain used on the sample
mycoplasma can induce abnormalities in a sample, so it is important to avoid
contamination
- What about the metaphases on a slide are affected by slide making? - -
Cell density - thru dilution of the sample with fix
Banding - based on how dark/pale/refractive they are affects trypsin time
Chromosome spreading - affected by drying time
- What test(s) should be ordered on a newborn with suspected Prader-Willi
syndrome? - -High resolution banding and FISH for the Prader-Willi locus on
15q11.2
- When capturing a metaphase, a tech cannot get the met into focus, what is
the most likely cause? - -The camera is not parfocal (in focus with the
microscpe objectives) with the microscope
- Unstained chromosome preparation should be viewed using which scope? -
-Phase contrast condenser
- The minimum band level necessary to detect prader-willi syndrome is? - -
550 at the lowest
15q11.2 is visible at that level
See CAP regulation CYG.42300
- A regulatory inspecter requests a copy of a lab patient's record for his
inspection files, the tech should: - -Deny the inspector a copy of the record
See HIPAA compliance policy
- According to CAP regulations, what is the minimum band level for
consitutional specimens? - -400
questions and Answers
What is the best agent to use against mycoplasma? - -BM cyclin - a
combination of two antibiotics (tiamulin and minocycline) that effecticely
targets mycoplasma growth
- For successful harvest, each new batch of hypotonic solution should be
evaluated by: - -comparing the new lot to a lot already in use
- Colagenase, pronase, and trypsin are: - -Proteolytic enzymes - break down
tissues into single-cell suspensions
- When harvesting peripheral blood cultures, asceptic technique no longer
matters following incubation with: - -Colcemid - mitotic spindle poison that
halts cells at metaphase
- Samples that arrive at the cytogenetics lab should first be: - -Logged in to
the system
- Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates which type of cells into division? - -T-
cell lymphocytes
- To avoid culture failure, monitoring reagents is crucial. When logging a
culture failure, what is the MOST important to document? - -Expiration dates
of reagents used
- Which type of microscope is used when cleaning a CVS (chorionic villus)
sample? - -Dissection
- Which cell type is most problematic if found in a CVS (chorionic villus)
sample? - -Decidua (maternal tissue)
- When looking at a slide under a phase contrast scope and a lot of
cytoplasm is still seen around the mets, what is the most likely cause? - -
innappropriate slide drying time
- What will help prevent microbial contamination and cross contamination of
cultures? - -Asceptic technique
- When there are not enough mets to complete the study of a patient/case,
what needs to be done next? - -prepare additional slides from any remaining
sample
, - When looking at a dropped slide under a phase scope and mets are very
spread out and sparse, what could help fix the issue? - -Increading the
drying time by using warm slides
- What is true of an inverted microscope? - -the objectives are beneath the
stage
- High-resolution banding is indicated for a possible diagnosis of: - -
DiGenorge syndrome -- microdeletion of 22q11, also called velocardiofacial
syndrome
"velo" - soft palette,
"cardio" - congenital heart defects,
"facial" - unique abnormal facial features, short philtrum (upper lip indent),
tubular nose, wide spread eyes, etc
- When verifying if a specimen is appropriate for cytogenetic analysis, what
is the MOST important data to accompany the specimen? - -Reason for
referral
- Which type of specimen should be requested for a cytogenetic analysis for
turner syndrome? - -Heparinized peripheral blood stored at room
temperature
(NOT FROZEN)
- A blood sample can be used to study the cytogenetics of a malignancy only
if: - -Dividing leukemic cells are present in circulation
- All of the cultures in a CO2 incubator failed, what aspects of the incubator
are important to monitor to assess the source of the problem? - -
Temperature,
CO2 level, and
Humidity level
- The most important factor affecting the quality of chromosomes viewed
under a phase contrast scope is: - -Slide drying after the cells have been
dropped
- What is the modal number (default number of chromosomes in a cell) for a
Down syndrome translocation carrier? - -45
- What is the best tissue to use for both a good success rate and
abnormality detection in spontaneous abortion miscarriages? - -Chorionic
villi
, - What is a possible cause for a drying oven to not maintain a proper
temperature? - -The door does not seal properly
- If a tech with a cold and sneezing does not take proper precautions while
setting up amniotic fluid samples, the specimen could become contaminated
with: - -Mycoplasma
--> the most common contaminant by a sick tech and can be detected
through a specific stain used on the sample
mycoplasma can induce abnormalities in a sample, so it is important to avoid
contamination
- What about the metaphases on a slide are affected by slide making? - -
Cell density - thru dilution of the sample with fix
Banding - based on how dark/pale/refractive they are affects trypsin time
Chromosome spreading - affected by drying time
- What test(s) should be ordered on a newborn with suspected Prader-Willi
syndrome? - -High resolution banding and FISH for the Prader-Willi locus on
15q11.2
- When capturing a metaphase, a tech cannot get the met into focus, what is
the most likely cause? - -The camera is not parfocal (in focus with the
microscpe objectives) with the microscope
- Unstained chromosome preparation should be viewed using which scope? -
-Phase contrast condenser
- The minimum band level necessary to detect prader-willi syndrome is? - -
550 at the lowest
15q11.2 is visible at that level
See CAP regulation CYG.42300
- A regulatory inspecter requests a copy of a lab patient's record for his
inspection files, the tech should: - -Deny the inspector a copy of the record
See HIPAA compliance policy
- According to CAP regulations, what is the minimum band level for
consitutional specimens? - -400
