Sputum cytology is the microscopic examination of cells contained in sputum, that is, in the secretion of the lower respiratory tract, coughed up by the patient independently or obtained after sputum induction.
Lung cytology is not one specific test, but a large group of cytopathological studies that use a microscope to evaluate cells obtained from the respiratory tract, lung tissue, pleural fluid, or thoracic lymph nodes.
Gastric cytology is the examination of cells obtained from the gastric mucosa, from the contents of the gastric cavity, or from material taken during endoscopic ultrasound examination and other invasive procedures.
In everyday speech, the expression “types of smear in cytology” most often refers not to any cytology in general, but specifically to cervical cytology, that is, to the Pap test.
