TY - JOUR
T1 - Agar pre-embedding of small skin biopsies
T2 - Real-life benefits and challenges in high throughput pathology laboratories
AU - Ridolfi, Mara
AU - Paudice, Michele
AU - Salvi, Sandra
AU - Valle, Luca
AU - Gualco, Marina
AU - Perasole, Antonio
AU - Anselmi, Luca
AU - Fiocca, Roberto
AU - Mastracci, Luca
AU - Grillo, Federica
PY - 2019/6/1
Y1 - 2019/6/1
N2 - Paraffin embedding of small, thin tissue samples requires specific expertise for optimal orientation before tissue sectioning. This study evaluates the real-life utility of the agar pre-embedding technique for small skin biopsies with regards to lengthening of work times, problems in orientation (re-embedding) and ancillary techniques (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation) between two high work flow pathology laboratories, one of which routinely uses the agar pre-embedding technique and one which does not. The mean time required for pre-embedding in agar was 30.4 s, but time for paraffin embedding for agar pre-embedded samples was shorter than the traditional method (177 vs 296 s; p<0.005). The number of skin samples requiring re-embedding was significantly higher with the traditional embedding method (p<0.005). No problems in immunoreactivity were observed in all 1900 reactions performed with 17 different antibodies. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis was optimised with a prolonged protease K incubation time (21 vs 18 min).
AB - Paraffin embedding of small, thin tissue samples requires specific expertise for optimal orientation before tissue sectioning. This study evaluates the real-life utility of the agar pre-embedding technique for small skin biopsies with regards to lengthening of work times, problems in orientation (re-embedding) and ancillary techniques (immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation) between two high work flow pathology laboratories, one of which routinely uses the agar pre-embedding technique and one which does not. The mean time required for pre-embedding in agar was 30.4 s, but time for paraffin embedding for agar pre-embedded samples was shorter than the traditional method (177 vs 296 s; p<0.005). The number of skin samples requiring re-embedding was significantly higher with the traditional embedding method (p<0.005). No problems in immunoreactivity were observed in all 1900 reactions performed with 17 different antibodies. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis was optimised with a prolonged protease K incubation time (21 vs 18 min).
KW - dermatopathology
KW - histopathology
KW - immunohistochemistry
KW - in situ hybridisation
KW - laboratory management
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U2 - 10.1136/jclinpath-2018-205680
DO - 10.1136/jclinpath-2018-205680
M3 - Article
C2 - 30787027
AN - SCOPUS:85061973546
VL - 72
SP - 448
EP - 451
JO - Journal of Clinical Pathology - Clinical Molecular Pathology
JF - Journal of Clinical Pathology - Clinical Molecular Pathology
SN - 0021-9746
IS - 6
ER -