ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content Guidelines Per ASCP BOC

The ASCP cytogenetic (CG) certificate goes to technologists who can perform multiple techniques to detect genetic disorders.

The Board of Certification determines the ASCP cytogenetics exam content guidelines for exam certification.

• The CG ASCP exam comprises 100 questions that are concluded from specimen preparation, harvest and culture, molecular cytogenetic testing, chromosome imaging and analysis, and laboratory operation.
• 2 hours and 30 minutes is the time to finish the ASCP cytogenetic exam.
• All the exam content areas are essential because the board chooses the different percentages of questions to develop the 100-question exam.
• This exam is formulated by the CAT (computer adaptive testing), which demonstrates the next questions by scanning answers to your prior questions.

The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) is very straightforward in its offering for exam preparation for all certificates, including the CG ASCP.

The board explains the exam syllabus in “Content Guidelines” for all certificates.

For instance, for ASCP cytogenetics exam preparation, the board presents ASCP cytogenetics exam content guidelines.

To get the ASCP CG certificate successfully, you need to cover the entire syllabus that the board described in the content guidelines.

Here a full details about the ASCP cytogenetics exam content area per ASCP BOC guidelines that guide you to cover the syllabus.

Specimen Preparation, Harvest and Culture Of ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content

The content areas of specimen preparation, harvest, and culture are classified into four categories.

These categories are specimen preparation, specimen culture, culture harvest, and chromosome banding and staining techniques.

This part of the ASCP cytogenetics exam content area overcomes 20-25% of the questions for CG ASCP.

Further descriptions are:

Specimen Preparation

• Specimen transport and collection: Quality factors (cellularity, viability, contamination); specimen requirements (transport conditions, container size); unacceptable specimens; multiple test specimens.
• Test requests and samples: Assign test priority, test orders, and patient verification information.

Specimen Culture

• Selection of appropriate culture systems: culture labeling, preparing specimens and media (condition of culture, supplements), optimal cultures for specimen types (suspension, monolayer), and choosing the number of cultures.
• Document and monitor the cell growth: Maintenance of culture, identification, monitoring, and control of contamination, documentation, and investigation of the culture failures, evaluation of the monolayer cells, and assessment of cultures for harvest.
• Aseptic culture procedure:  Control cross-contamination between cultures and prevent microbial contamination.

Culture Harvest

• Slide preparation: evaluate harvest, ambient conditions, troubleshoot (suboptimal specimens, equipment, reagents),  Slide quality (metaphase spreading, cell density, mitotic index, etc.).
• Select harvest methods: Store fixed-cell pellets, use, prepare, and select hypotonic solutions, mitotic inhibitors, and fixatives, culture harvest (monolayer, suspension), and Chromosome elongation approaches (intercalation, synchronization, etc)

Chromosome Staining and Banding Techniques

• G-banding
• Troubleshoot and evaluate staining/banding

Molecular Cytogenetic Testing Of ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content

Molecular cytogenetic testing is also divided into four major topics, including preparing Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) slides, analyzing FISH slides, FISH quality control, and Microarray.

15-20% of questions are picked from this content area.

Prepare Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) Slides

• Processing: Plasma cell enrichment, Counterstain, Postwash, Denaturation, FFPE (Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded) tissue sections
• Identify suitable probe techniques (e.g., enumeration, amplification, fusion, break-apart)
• Identify analysis type, for instance, metaphase or interphase
• Consider specimen quality

Analyze FISH Slides

• Capture cell image (representative)
• Interpret and score signal patterns
• ISCN nomenclature’s document analysis
• Troubleshoot FISH processing problems

FISH Quality Control

• Positive and negative controls
• Establish cut-offs, reference ranges, and validate probes

Microarray

• Limitations and theory
• Evaluation and results confirmation

Chromosome Imaging and Analysis Of ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content

This content area covers 50% of the exam questions so it is important for the passing CG ASCP exam.

Its further classification is microscope and imaging equipment, chromosome documentation, selection, and analysis, and karyogram review and chromosome identification.

Microscope and Imaging Equipment

• Imaging system: Troubleshooting and maintenance, enhance images, and capture images.
• Microscope: Gain optimal resolution, troubleshooting & maintenance, functions and components, and types (phase-contrast, fluorescent, brightfield, etc.,)

Chromosome Documentation, Selection, and Analysis

• Selection of an appropriate format for recording results:  preliminary results and ISCN.
• Evaluation of clinical implications, chromosome abnormalities (e.g. normal variants,  instability syndromes, cultural artifacts, and abnormalities like mosaicism, structural, and numerical)
• Prepare accurate karyograms: choose the representative images, set chromosomes with the help of the approved format, and prepare the proper number of karyograms
• Analyze and choose the best metaphases: Review results; analyze, count, and select metaphases; analyze the suitable number of cells; troubleshoot analysis; document analysis; and analyze appropriate cultures’s numbers.

 Karyogram Review and Chromosome Identification

•  Clinical implications (variants, constitutional, acquired, etc)
• Assess band resolution
• Karyogram (chromosome placement, identification, and orientation)
• Metaphase chromosomes (structural and numerical abnormalities identification)

Laboratory Operation ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content

The lab operations are categorized into four main topics, including Laboratory Practice, Laboratory Safety, Continuous Quality Improvement & Quality Management, and Professional Standards.

The lab operation offers 10-15% of questions for the CG ASCP exam.

Laboratory Practice

• Store, label, and prepare reagents
• Label specimens
• Monitor chemicals and lab supplies
• maintain and operate lab equipment (humidity, %O2, %CO2, and temperature)
• Retention times (reports, images, analyses, cultures, specimens)

Laboratory Safety

• Safety training (e.g., biological hazards, fire)
• Lab accidents (e.g., splashes, spills, needlesticks)
• Ergonomics (chair adjustment, posture)
• Disposal (biohazard, sharps, glass)
• Fire safety ( emergency response, fire extinguishers)
• Chemical hazard plans (emergency procedures, SDS)
• Biological hazard safety (work surfaces, biological safety cabinet, PPE, decontaminate equipment/instruments).

Continuous Quality Improvement & Quality Management

• Competency and training
• Accreditation inspections (CAP, internal, etc)
• Proficiency testing
• Record quality indicators, including  turnaround time, band
• resolution, error reporting
• Probe failures or document culture
• Monitor reagent performance

Professional Standards

• Professional standards and ethics
• Patient confidentiality (HIPAA, etc)

Check Exam Content for Cytology.

FAQs for ASCP Cytogenetics Exam Content Guidelines

Resources: ASCP BOC.