Fine Needle Aspiration: A General Update

Date: October 27-31, 2008
Location: Chicago, IL

Directors:
Yener S. Erozan, MD, FASCP
Professor of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Ibrahim Ramzy, MD, FASCP
Professor of Clinical Pathology and Gynecology-Obstetrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Faculty:
Syed Z. Ali, MD, FASCP
Associate Professor of Pathology and Radiology, Associate Director, Division of Cytopathology, Director, Cytopathology Fellowship Program, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Frances Burroughs, SCT(ASCP), CMIAC
Supervisor of Technical Operations, John K. Frost Cytopathology Laboratory, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Dina R. Mody, MD, FASCP
Director of Cytology, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University
President, American Society of Cytopathology, Houston, TX

Because the fine needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis is often a definitive diagnosis on which treatment decisions are based, understanding the capabilities and limitations of FNA is critical. This intensive five-day Course will help you gain this important understanding so that you’ll be able to recognize pitfalls, prevent costly misinterpretation of samples, and avoid mistakes that could lead to treatment decisions that result in injury, unnecessary surgery, poor treatment outcomes – even litigation.

This is a rare opportunity to hear from two international authorities on this important subject. Drs. Erozan and Ramzy will draw on their extensive experience as they guide you, step by step, through non-invasive, cost-saving techniques that will maximize your expertise. They will share rarely discussed practical tips that will dramatically enhance your knowledge of cytopathologic diagnosis.

The course covers illustrative cases of a wide variety of aspirations including:

• Breast
• Thyroid
• Adrenal Gland
• Lymph Nodes
• Salivary Glands
• Lung and Mediastinum
• Liver
• Pancreas
• Kidney
• Subcutaneous Masses
• Soft Tissue and Bone
• Intraabdominal Masses

Course content will include:

• Guidance for meeting challenges that include benign lesions that mimic malignancy, rare lesions, and specimen adequacy issues
• New developments, such as: endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates, selection and use of immunohistochemistry, efficient reporting formats, flow cytometry in lymphoma classification, and molecular techniques

This will be a highly interactive, organized, and thought-provoking learning experience. More than 1,000 resource packets with cytology and histology slides will be available for you to review with an individual microscope and discuss with the faculty. In addition, you will be challenged with unknown cases presented via video microscopy at the end of each session. You will hear the faculty work through their critical thinking process when viewing and scanning glass slides. You are encouraged to bring your own problem cases with glass slides for consultation with the faculty during the video microscopy sessions or in small groups utilizing a five-head microscope.

You will receive a comprehensive manual. An optional pre- and post-Course assessment is included.

Following this course, you will be able to:

• Distinguish characteristic cytopathological features of benign and malignant diseases in fine needle aspiration specimens
• Identify pitfalls in the cytopathologic diagnosis of fine needle aspirates and learn how to avoid mistakes
• Select the optimal methods for collection, transportation and preparation of fine needle aspiration specimens and implement them in your practice
• Implement into your practice currently used and emerging ancillary techniques that assist in the cytopathologic diagnosis

The ASCP designates these educational activities for a maximum of 30 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activities.

These activities meet MOC Part II Lifelong Learning requirements.