MOCK CG(ASCP) CERTIFICATION
EXAM 1 - PART 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH SOLUTIONS 2024
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.
d. Can determine if an abnormal clone is arising from one or more colonies. - ANSWER Can be used to
rule out maternal contamination when the fetus is female.
Collagenase is used in culture of solid tissues to?
EXAM 1 - PART 1 QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH SOLUTIONS 2024
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.
d. Can determine if an abnormal clone is arising from one or more colonies. - ANSWER Can be used to
rule out maternal contamination when the fetus is female.
Collagenase is used in culture of solid tissues to?
