[Histonet] Prostate Needle Biopsies

[RSRICHMOND <@t> aol.com]

Becky Garrison in Jacksonville FL observes:

>>Just this week, our Urology Center, in reviewing its QA measures, wanted to 
know if it's OK for them to ink the specimen by color to reduce specimen 
identification mixups. My first reaction was no because of concerns that unknown 
inks might interfere with fixation and ultimately IHC and the possibility of 
crush artefact introduced by "non-pathology" hands.<<

I agree - no. I want them to handle the specimen as little as possible - the 
ink needs to be added after fixation. They could use colored pens to mark the 
outsides of the containers with a set of laboratory-prescribed colors that the 
lab would use to select cassette and slide frosting colors.

I know that there are services that pre-ink the specimens, but I've never 
actually seen it done.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Gastonia NC