MOCK CG(ASCP) CERTIFICATION EXAM
1 - PART 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS 100%
CORRECT RATED A+
What effects does sodium heparin have on cells?
a. Swells cells
b. Removes water from cells
c. Stimulates mitotic activity
d. Precipitates nucleic acid
e. Prevents clotting
Answer: ✔✔ Prevents clotting
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be toxic to cells?
a. Sodium heparin
b. Lithium heparin
c. Sodium hydroxide
d. Gentamycin
Answer: ✔✔ Sodium heparin
The optimal temperature for transport of amniotic fluid specimens is:
a. 37°C
b. 40°C
c. 0°C
d. 20°C
Answer: ✔✔ 20°C
,A pathologist is sending solid tumor specimens to a cytogenetic laboratory for
analysis. What instructions should be given to the pathologist concerning the
preparation and transport of the specimen to insure the highest chance of
successful culture?
a. Ensure the sterility of the specimen by placing it in formalin until it reaches the
laboratory.
b. Ensure that the specimen does not contain necrotic or fatty tissue.
c. Ensure that the specimen is transported on dry ice to prevent decomposition.
d. All of the above. -ANSWER✔✔Ensure the specimen does not contain necrotic
or fatty acid
Why is the villi obtained in CVS procedures cleaned by the technologists?
a. To remove the blood from the sample.
b. To remove dead tissue from the sample.
c. To remove maternal tissue from the sample
d. To expose the rapidly growing cells in the villi. -ANSWER✔✔To remove
maternal tissue from the sample
A solid tumor specimen can NOT be shipped from the hospital to a
cytogenetics laboratory in another city due to a major holiday which will not allow
the sample to be shipped via Federal Express Overnight delivery. How should the
sample be stored so that the cells will remain alive until they can be delivered and
placed in culture?
a. The specimen should be preserved by placing it in formalin until it reaches the
laboratory.
b. The specimen should be placed in media and then in a a 37 'C incubator until it
can be shipped.
,c. The specimen should be stored in at -20 'C or on dry ice to prevent cellular
decay.
d. The specimen should be placed in media and then refrigerated until it can be
shipped. -ANSWER✔✔The specimen should be placed in media and then
refrigerated until it can be shipped.
Lab C noticed that patient samples from one of their doctors had poor or no growth
as compared to their other doctor's samples. No evidence of contamination was
observed and all material needed for sample collection and transportation is
provided to the doctors by the laboratory. What could cause this discrepancy in
culture viability?
a. Collection technique
b. Incubator systems
c. Toxic plastic containers
d. Culture media -ANSWER✔✔Collection technique
Which statement about maternal cell contamination is FALSE?
a. The incidence of MCC is greater when cultures are established from bloody
amniotic fluid samples.
b. The risk of MCC can be reduced by using a larger bone core needle for the
amniocentesis procedure.
c. The use of maternal Q-polymorphisms may be helpful in identifying cases of
MCC.
d. The risk of MCC can be reduced by discarding the first 2-3 cc of aspirated
amniotic fluid. -ANSWER✔✔The risk of MCC can be reduced by using a larger
bone core needle for the amniocentesis procedure.
Your laboratory receives specimens form the following cases. Which case would
you assign the highest priority?
, a. A 24 year old woman who has had three miscarriages and one normal child.
b. The 28 year old husband of the woman above.
c. Amnoitc fluid from a 36 year old women's current pregnancy of 18 weeks
gestation.
d. A baby who is in the NICU with a myelomeningocele, a heart defect,
intrauterine growth deficiency, a tightly clenched fist and an unusually positioned
great toe.
e. A 10 year old boy who is small for his age and has small hands, moderate mental
retardation, protruding ears, "droppy" eyelids and a small mouth. -ANSWER✔✔A
baby who is in the NICU with a myelomeningocele, a heart defect, intrauterine
growth deficiency, a tightly clenched fist and an unusually positioned great toe.
Not all cells received by a Cytogenetics laboratory will grow well in culture for
any number of reasons. When amniotic fluid specimens are collected for culture,
which of the following are safeguards against culture failure?
s. Samples are collected in one syringe
b. The first 2 cc of amniotic fluid are discarded
c. Two flasks are set up with two different media types
d. T12 1/2 flasks are used -ANSWER✔✔Two flasks are set up with two different
media types
Which of the following is NOT an advantage that in situ coverslip amniotic
cultures have over flask amniotic fluid cultures?
a. Decreased the turnaround time.
b. Increases the likelihood of distinguishing between true mosaicism and
psuedomosaicisme.
c. Can be used to rule out maternal contamination when the fetus is female.
1 - PART 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS 100%
CORRECT RATED A+
What effects does sodium heparin have on cells?
a. Swells cells
b. Removes water from cells
c. Stimulates mitotic activity
d. Precipitates nucleic acid
e. Prevents clotting
Answer: ✔✔ Prevents clotting
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be toxic to cells?
a. Sodium heparin
b. Lithium heparin
c. Sodium hydroxide
d. Gentamycin
Answer: ✔✔ Sodium heparin
The optimal temperature for transport of amniotic fluid specimens is:
a. 37°C
b. 40°C
c. 0°C
d. 20°C
Answer: ✔✔ 20°C
,A pathologist is sending solid tumor specimens to a cytogenetic laboratory for
analysis. What instructions should be given to the pathologist concerning the
preparation and transport of the specimen to insure the highest chance of
successful culture?
a. Ensure the sterility of the specimen by placing it in formalin until it reaches the
laboratory.
b. Ensure that the specimen does not contain necrotic or fatty tissue.
c. Ensure that the specimen is transported on dry ice to prevent decomposition.
d. All of the above. -ANSWER✔✔Ensure the specimen does not contain necrotic
or fatty acid
Why is the villi obtained in CVS procedures cleaned by the technologists?
a. To remove the blood from the sample.
b. To remove dead tissue from the sample.
c. To remove maternal tissue from the sample
d. To expose the rapidly growing cells in the villi. -ANSWER✔✔To remove
maternal tissue from the sample
A solid tumor specimen can NOT be shipped from the hospital to a
cytogenetics laboratory in another city due to a major holiday which will not allow
the sample to be shipped via Federal Express Overnight delivery. How should the
sample be stored so that the cells will remain alive until they can be delivered and
placed in culture?
a. The specimen should be preserved by placing it in formalin until it reaches the
laboratory.
b. The specimen should be placed in media and then in a a 37 'C incubator until it
can be shipped.
,c. The specimen should be stored in at -20 'C or on dry ice to prevent cellular
decay.
d. The specimen should be placed in media and then refrigerated until it can be
shipped. -ANSWER✔✔The specimen should be placed in media and then
refrigerated until it can be shipped.
Lab C noticed that patient samples from one of their doctors had poor or no growth
as compared to their other doctor's samples. No evidence of contamination was
observed and all material needed for sample collection and transportation is
provided to the doctors by the laboratory. What could cause this discrepancy in
culture viability?
a. Collection technique
b. Incubator systems
c. Toxic plastic containers
d. Culture media -ANSWER✔✔Collection technique
Which statement about maternal cell contamination is FALSE?
a. The incidence of MCC is greater when cultures are established from bloody
amniotic fluid samples.
b. The risk of MCC can be reduced by using a larger bone core needle for the
amniocentesis procedure.
c. The use of maternal Q-polymorphisms may be helpful in identifying cases of
MCC.
d. The risk of MCC can be reduced by discarding the first 2-3 cc of aspirated
amniotic fluid. -ANSWER✔✔The risk of MCC can be reduced by using a larger
bone core needle for the amniocentesis procedure.
Your laboratory receives specimens form the following cases. Which case would
you assign the highest priority?
, a. A 24 year old woman who has had three miscarriages and one normal child.
b. The 28 year old husband of the woman above.
c. Amnoitc fluid from a 36 year old women's current pregnancy of 18 weeks
gestation.
d. A baby who is in the NICU with a myelomeningocele, a heart defect,
intrauterine growth deficiency, a tightly clenched fist and an unusually positioned
great toe.
e. A 10 year old boy who is small for his age and has small hands, moderate mental
retardation, protruding ears, "droppy" eyelids and a small mouth. -ANSWER✔✔A
baby who is in the NICU with a myelomeningocele, a heart defect, intrauterine
growth deficiency, a tightly clenched fist and an unusually positioned great toe.
Not all cells received by a Cytogenetics laboratory will grow well in culture for
any number of reasons. When amniotic fluid specimens are collected for culture,
which of the following are safeguards against culture failure?
s. Samples are collected in one syringe
b. The first 2 cc of amniotic fluid are discarded
c. Two flasks are set up with two different media types
d. T12 1/2 flasks are used -ANSWER✔✔Two flasks are set up with two different
media types
Which of the following is NOT an advantage that in situ coverslip amniotic
cultures have over flask amniotic fluid cultures?
a. Decreased the turnaround time.
b. Increases the likelihood of distinguishing between true mosaicism and
psuedomosaicisme.
c. Can be used to rule out maternal contamination when the fetus is female.
