[Histonet] IHC control material

[Kuhnla, Melissa]

Hi,
First let me say that a proper control system is not possible without
the help of a pathologist.  I am lucky enough to have a pathologist that
continuously is dedicated to helping me with this project. He very much
understands how important it is!! 
The pathologist is constantly looking for cases that have additional
tissue that can be processed, H&Ed, stained with various antibodies, and
then cataloged and documented as far as what it can be used for in the
future as a control.  After about 4 years of this, I have a library of a
couple hundred cases. Some are rare tumors; some are normal tonsil and
colon...etc.  I have excel spreadsheets that log case number, tissue
type, hours fixation, stain results, date, pathologist...etc.

I then have a naming and numbering system for 'working control' blocks.
In other words, our mesothelioma control block contains three or four
different tissue types. I have a log that shows all the case numbers and
that they were combined into working control blocks. Say I make five
blocks at once, they are named meso1, meso2, meso3, meso4, meso5. I then
H&E these 'working control' blocks and the pathologist signs off on
them. Now they are ready to put into use and cut.  We do pre-cut
controls. The slide is labeled with the blocks name (meso1), the date
cut, and the cutters initials.  This is so we are always using the
oldest first.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything further.
Melissa

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Oneil,
Beth Ann
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2011 1:43 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] IHC control material

   We would like to re-organize our system for maintaining blocks and
slides for our IHC section.  Currently, we have a cache of blocks, each
labelled with the different antibody it is used for, and filed in a
drawer.  When we begin to run low on tissue, we have to scurry around
and find a good specimen to use and lately it's been a patient block
that we'll have to cut into. We don't like doing that because what if
our docs order additional testing.   
  With our control slides, we'll cut around 10 at a time (50 if tonsil)
and label with the antibody name and Julian date so that we know how old
the slide is.  This seems to work pretty well.  
  I guess my question is, how do others organize their control tissues
for IHC.
 
Beth Ann O'Neil, MT(ASCP)SC, HTL, QIHC
Histology Supervisor
West Virginia University Hospitals
304-293-6014


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