FW: [Histonet] uneven HE staining

[Linville, Marsha]

Hi, Paula,
Two different things you might look at.  First, do you use Sta-On in
your waterbath?  I have had a similar problem in the past because of it,
very random.  Oddly enough, we really only noticed it on prostate core
biopsies. Problem disappeared immediately when we quit using the Sta-On.
Second, are you using SurgiPath charged slides?  I have seen them
produce a similar problem in IHC's, apparently due to the fact that
their charge isn't always even across the slides and some areas become
hydrophobic.  If it is either of these, happily the fix is very easy.

Marsha Linville
Histology Supervisor
AmeriPath Indiana
Phone: (317)275-8140
Fax: (317)275-8070
Pager: (317)568-5407


-----Original Message-----
From: Paula Wilder [mailto:histo20 <@t> hotmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 12:13 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] uneven HE staining


Hi everyone!
 
A colleague of mine is having uneven staining problems with their
automatic stainer, which I believe is a Tissue-Tek stainer.  This has
been an ongoing problem.  She tells me it is only on biopsies, very
intermittent.  On one slide she might have four sections; three stain
evenly and one does not.  The location of the unevenly stained section
is not always the same; sometimes it is the first section, sometimes the
last.  Several technicians are cutting so technique has been eliminated.
They tried tracking the biopsies to see if a particular doctor's office
was involved, but again, no. Does anyone have a clue or suggestion which
direction should be pursued next?  We don't think it is the processing;
dehydration?  I do not have their HE programmed times.
 
Thanks for your help,
Paula Wilder
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