Course Outline
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- Reagent Steps of Tissue Processing
- Processing Steps Defined
- Conventional tissue processing must proceed in a specific order. Place the reagents used during processing in order from the first step to the last st...
- Conventional Processing In Depth
- Tissue Fixation
- Formalin Fixative
- How many times greater should the fixative volume be than the tissue volume?
- True or False: 10% formalin is capable of being mixed with paraffin.
- Tissue Dehydration
- True or False: Ethanol is miscible with paraffin.
- Tissue Clearing
- True or False: Xylene has a high water tolerance and is miscible with aqueous fixatives at room temperature.
- Paraffin Infiltration
- Which of the following characteristics would paraffin with a high melting point, such as 65°C, have?
- Xylene-Free Processing
- Tissue clearing can be accomplished by using which of the following reagents?
- Processing Equipment and Factors Affecting Tissue Processing
- Processing Equipment
- Automated Tissue Processors
- Factors Affecting Tissue Processing
- Time Factor
- True or False: The laboratory's desired turnaround time should dictate how long the tissue is fixed and processed.
- Temperature Factor
- Pressure Factor
- Standard Processing Protocols
- Routine Tissue Processing
- Biopsy Tissue Processing
- Fatty Tissue/Brain Tissue Processing
- Special Tissue Processing
- Put the following tissue types/sizes in order of time required to process. Begin with tissue that requires the least processing time and finish with t...
- Processing Quality Control Measures
- Reagent Maintenance and Temperature Checks
- Troubleshooting Processing Problems
- While embedding tissue into paraffin, a technician notices that the majority of the tissue is mushy and under-processed. What would the first step be ...
- Reagent Safety
- Reagent Safety
- Formalin and Xylene Monitoring
- Which of the following demonstrates safe work habits that should be employed when using hazardous processing reagents?
- References
Additional Information
Level of Instruction: Basic
Intended Audience: Clinical laboratory histotechnologists, histotechnicians, and other medical laboratory personnel who have an interest in this subject matter. This course is also appropriate for histology and medical laboratory science students, pathology residents, and practicing pathologists.
Author Information: Diana Harrington, BS, HT(ASCP), is a histotechnologist at The Dermatology Center of Indiana. Since graduating from Indiana University, she has worked in various hospital laboratories as a medical technologist and histotechnologist. Her experience led her to teach IU students as a Clinical Education Supervisor and create the Histotechnology Program as Program Director for Keiser University in Florida.
The author has no conflict of interest to disclose.
Reviewer Information:
Carla J. Shoffeitt, MSM, HT(ASCP), is the System Director of Anatomic Pathology for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Management as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Troy University, Troy, Alabama. She is certified as a Histotechnician and has over 30 years of experience in the field of Histology.
Judi Bennett, BSM, MLS, is an Education Developer with MediaLab by Vastian, bringing over 30 years of experience as a medical laboratory scientist. Before joining MediaLab in 2010, she held key leadership roles, including Clinical Laboratory Manager, Microbiology Supervisor, and Senior Systems Analyst at Gwinnett Health System in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her extensive knowledge of laboratory operations, combined with a strong commitment to healthcare quality and education, fuels her passion for developing engaging and effective learning tools for the next generation of laboratorians.
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to discuss the appropriate application of the most common tissue processing steps utilized in today's histology laboratory and provide troubleshooting guidelines for tissue that has been improperly processed. The various factors affecting tissue processing will also be explored, including comparisons of different tissue types and their required processing cycles.
