Accelerated staining technique using kitchen microwave oven.
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Date
2015-07
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Abstract
Introduction: Histopathological diagnosis of specimens is greatly dependent on
good sample preparation and staining. Both of these processes is governed by
diffusion of fl uids and dyes in and out of the tissue, which is the key to staining.
Diffusion of fl uids can be accelerated by the application of heat that reduces the
time of staining from hours to the minute. We modifi ed an inexpensive model
of kitchen microwave oven for staining. This study is an attempt to compare
the reliability of this modifi ed technique against the tested technique of routine
staining so as to establish the kitchen microwave oven as a valuable diagnostic
tool. Materials and Methods: Sixty different tissue blocks were used to prepare
20 pairs of slides for 4 different stains namely hematoxylin and eosin, Van
Gieson’s, 0.1% toluidine blue and periodic acid-Schiff. From each tissue block,
two bits of tissues were mounted on two different slides. One slide was stained
routinely, and the other stained inside a microwave. A pathologist evaluated the
stained slides and the results so obtained were analyzed statistically. Results:
Microwave staining considerably cut down the staining time from hours to
seconds. Microwave staining showed no loss of cellular and nuclear details,
uniform-staining characteristics and was of excellent quality. Interpretation and
Conclusion: The cellular details, nuclear details and staining characteristics
of microwave stained tissues were better than or equal to the routine stained
tissue. The overall quality of microwave-stained sections was found to be better
than the routine stained tissue in majority of cases.
Description
Keywords
Kitchen microwave oven, microwave staining, routine staining
Citation
Mukunda Archana, Narayan T V, Shreedhar Balasundhari, Shashidhara R, Mohanty Leeky, Shenoy Sadhana. Accelerated staining technique using kitchen microwave oven. Indian Journal of Pathology & Microbiology. 2015 Jul-Sept 58(3): 316-322.