Papanicolaou Staining (Pap stain) MCQs Mock Test (30 MCQs)

Shares0Share0 Tweet0 Pin0 LinkedIn0 Email0

Master the Papanicolaou (Pap) stain, the gold-standard technique for cervical cancer screening and cytological diagnostics. This comprehensive guide covers:

✓ Nuclear & cytoplasmic staining principle (Harris hematoxylin, OG-6, EA-50)
✓ Step-by-step protocol for liquid-based vs. conventional smears
✓ Diagnostic applications:

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grading
Hormonal evaluation (maturation index)
Non-gynecological cytology (urine, sputum)

✓ Quality control measures:

Stain filtration schedule
pH monitoring of alcohols
Troubleshooting common artifacts

Essential for cytotechnologists, pathologists, and screening program technicians.

Test your cytology expertise with 40+ Pap staining MCQs:
◼️ Nuclear/cytoplasmic color interpretation
◼️ Bethesda System correlation
◼️ Liquid-based vs. conventional smear differences
◼️ HSIL vs. LSIL cytomorphology

Ideal for:

ASCP cytotechnology certification
Pathology residency exams
National screening program training

0 votes, 0 avg

Cytology and Histology Department

Papanicolaou Staining (Pap stain) MCQs Mock Test

Test your cytology expertise with 30 Pap staining MCQs:
◼️ Nuclear/cytoplasmic color interpretation
◼️ Bethesda System correlation
◼️ Liquid-based vs. conventional smear differences
◼️ HSIL vs. LSIL cytomorphology

Ideal for:

ASCP cytotechnology certification
Pathology residency exams
National screening program training

Read Full Article: Papanicolaou Staining (Pap stain) FAQs And MCQs

1 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What color do cell nuclei appear after Pap staining?

Pink

Orange

Blue/Black

Green

2 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What does poor nuclear staining indicate in Pap smears?

Inadequate hematoxylin

Over-staining with eosin

Excess xylene

Too much Orange G-6

3 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What color do intermediate squamous cells stain?

Blue-Green

Pink

Orange

Black

4 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which of the following is NOT a specimen used for Pap staining?

Urine

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Blood plasma

Sputum

5 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which of the following is a rapid Pap staining method?

Prolonged hematoxylin staining

Using 1% acetic acid

Omitting xylene

Skipping dehydration

6 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

How long should a smear be fixed in 95% ethanol for Pap staining?

5 seconds

24 hours

15 minutes

1 hour

7 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which dye is used as a nuclear stain in Pap staining?

Hematoxylin

Eosin Y

Bismarck Brown

Orange G-6

8 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the advantage of Pap staining over simple H&E?

Cheaper

Faster

Doesn’t require fixation

Better cytoplasmic transparency

9 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which component is NOT part of EA (Eosin Azure)?

Eosin Y

Orange G-6

Bismarck Brown

Light Green SF

10 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

How are Candida species identified in a Pap smear?

Orange keratin

Red hyphae/yeast

Green cytoplasm

Blue nuclei

11 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the role of glacial acetic acid in Pap staining?

To fix RBCs

To enhance nuclear staining

To act as a clearing agent

To dehydrate cells

12 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which dye is responsible for staining RBCs orange-red?

Light Green SF

Eosin Y

Bismarck Brown

Hematoxylin

13 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the role of xylene in Pap staining?

Clearing the slide

Staining nuclei

Fixing cells

Counterstaining

14 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the most critical step before Pap staining?

Immediate fixation

Heating the slide

Adding a coverslip

Using distilled water

15 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the most common fixative for Pap smears?

Acetone

95% Ethanol

Formalin

Methanol

16 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the purpose of phosphotungstic acid in EA?

To clear the slide

To dehydrate cells

To fix nuclei

To act as a mordant

17 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which of these dyes is often omitted in modern Pap stain formulations?

Hematoxylin

Eosin Y

Light Green SF

Bismarck Brown

18 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which stain is used for non-gynecological specimens like sputum?

OG-6

EA-50

EA-36

EA-65

19 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the purpose of Scott’s tap water in Pap staining?

To enhance nuclear staining

To fix cells

To dehydrate the slide

To remove excess stain

20 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

How are metaplastic cells identified in Pap staining?

Mixed pink and green

Only red nuclei

Pure blue cytoplasm

Black keratin

21 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What happens if a Pap smear dries before fixation?

Better staining

Artifacts and poor results

No effect

Faster processing

22 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which of these is NOT a use of Pap staining?

Diagnosing diabetes

Cervical cancer screening

Lung cancer cytology

Detecting Trichomonas

23 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the main limitation of Pap staining?

It is a screening, not diagnostic test

It doesn’t work on blood samples

It is only for research

It cannot detect infections

24 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the primary purpose of Pap staining?

To screen for cervical cancer

To detect bacterial infections

To identify fungal hyphae

To measure blood glucose levels

25 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What is the final step in Pap staining before microscopy?

Mounting with DPX

Staining with eosin

Rinsing in water

Fixation

26 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

6. What does EA (Eosin Azure) stain in Pap smears?

Only nuclei

Both nuclei and cytoplasm

Only bacteria

Only cytoplasm

27 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

5. Which component does Orange G-6 primarily stain?

Red blood cells

Nuclei

Keratin

Cilia

28 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Which of these is a counterstain in Pap staining?

Harris hematoxylin

Phloxine

OG-6

Methylene blue

29 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

Who developed the Papanicolaou staining technique?

Robert Koch

George Papanicolaou

Rudolf Virchow

Louis Pasteur

30 / 30

Category: Clinical Laboratory

What color do superficial squamous cells appear after Pap staining?

Blue

Green

Pink/Orange

Black

Your score is

The average score is 76%

Read Full Article: Papanicolaou Staining (Pap stain) FAQs And MCQs

Possible References Used

⚠️ Disclaimer:

The content on LabTestsGuide.com is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information provided. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. LabTestsGuide.com is not liable for any decisions made based on the information on this site.