[Histonet] Re: Masson trichrome stain

[Robert Richmond]

Hi Tony Henwood and all!

I'm only familiar with the Van Gieson stain as a counterstain for
Verhoeff's hematoxylin, the elastic stain.

Reproducibility is extremely important in evaluating fibrosis in liver
biopsy specimens from hepatitis C patients (most common indication for
liver biopsy in many places), since the extent of fibrosis determines
whether the patient gets the very arduous year-long treatment or not.
And I think the standard, at least in the USA, is the sort of blue
trichrome stain standardized a good many years ago by Klatskin and his
disciples.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 3:48 PM, Tony Henwood <AnthonyH <@t> chw.edu.au> wrote:
> We have had great success with the simple Van Gieson stain.
>
> It stains the collagen (& fibrosis) really well.
>
> Regards
>
> Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC)
> Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist
> Tel: 612 9845 3306
> Fax: 612 9845 3318
> the children's hospital at westmead
> Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead
> Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Robert
> Richmond
> Sent: Wednesday, 31 December 2008 6:18 AM
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: [Histonet] Re: Masson trichrome stain
>
>
> Sarah Reeves (in the UK) asks:
>
>>>Does anyone know how to achieve a perfect Masson trichrome stain? Our
>>>counterstain (light green in acetic acid) works well, but the
>>>intensity of the muscle stain is not very bright. Does anyone have any
>
>>>suggestions? We will be staining liver biopsies mostly in the near
>>>future and wish to improve our technique.<<
>
> If you're going to be staining liver biopsy specimens (by far the most
> common use of the trichrome stain by pathologists today, on paraffin
> embedded tissue anyhow), your pathologists need a stain with a very
> strong blue component (aniline blue or similar), since they're going to
> be semi-quantitating small amounts of fibrosis. I've had pretty good
> results with commercial trichrome kits, as long as they're not used past
> their expiration dates.
>
> You should use liver tissue - it can be normal, though better with a
> little fibrosis - as your stain control. Autopsy material is quite
> suitable.
>
> Better talk this over with your pathologists before proceeding. I'll be
> happy to e-mail with them if it'll help.
>
> Bob Richmond
> Samurai Pathologist
> Knoxville TN