[Histonet] RE: Histonet Digest, Vol 25, Issue 13

[Kobler, James]

Hello Histonet,

I have a question regarding registration of paraffin sections with in vivo
optical sections.

We are doing a study of vocal fold pathology where we need to correlate images
acquired with a new optical coherence tomography (OCT) device and images from
histological sections.  The OCT imaging will be performed on excised specimens
(e.g. partial or total laryngectomy specimens) in the operating room via a small
catheter that is pressed against the vocal fold tissue. 5mm long OCT sections
are acquired that are perpendicular to the tissue surface with an effective
depth of about 2 mm.

We would like to mark the tissue in a reliable way so that the OCT sections can
be aligned with subsequent paraffin sections.  India ink works well for
tattooing the tissue because it shows up nicely in the OCT sections. We can
place 2 small tattoos about 5 mm apart and then take an OCT section that shows
these marks at both ends.  The problem is maintaining the  3D shape of the
specimen through the fixation/embedding process and then orienting the block so
that a few sections catch both tattoo marks.  The paraffin sections would be cut
perpendicular to the surface of the tissue and thus parallel to the tattoo
tracks.  Routine H&E staining will be used.

I would appreciate your ideas/experience regarding tissue processing so that we
can best align the 2 types of sections.

Thanks very much!

Jim Kobler, Department of Surgery, Mass General Hospital, jkobler <@t> partners.org