[Histonet] Re: Cytopathology Quest - alcohols

[Beth Cox]

Regarding alcohols in cytology:  Amber, you are right about those 
alcohols being equivalents for *shrinkage rates* (and since size is one 
of the criteria for cyto, shrinkage rates are important) but that does 
NOT indicate they perform the same.

Reagent alcohol (but not all other denatured alcohols) has very similar 
performance and shrinkage to ethyl alcohol and is considered an good 
acceptable substitute.   80% isopropal alcohol has similar shrinkage but 
not quite the same performance as ethyl and is considered an adequate 
substitute for fixation in emergency situations - the same is true for 
absolute methyl alcohol.

Beth Cox, SCT/HTL(ASCP)QIHC


> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2013 20:52:25 +0000
> From: Ian R Bernard <ibernard <@t> uab.edu>
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cytopathology Quest.
> To: "Fimbres, Amber" <afimbres <@t> uci.edu>,
> 	"histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu"
> 	<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
> Message-ID:
> 	<D4F4C602B10B9F45B4E9271AF6380E161821C413 <@t> UABEXMB1.ad.uab.edu>
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>
> Thanks for your reference and input
> IB
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Fimbres, Amber [mailto:afimbres <@t> uci.edu]
> Sent: Monday, October 14, 2013 11:58 AM
> To: Ian R Bernard; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Cytopathology Quest.
>
> According to Koss' Diagnostic Cytology and its Histopathologic Bases (1979), 100% methanol is equivalent to 95% ethanol which is equivalent to 95% reagent (denatured) alcohol which is equivalent to 80% propanol which is equivalent to 80% isopropanol.  So in theory, if you ran out of 95% reagent alcohol and only had isopropanol on hand, as long as it was 80% it would be OK to use.  Have I tried this?  Honestly...no.
>
> Amber Fimbres, CT(ASCP)HTL
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ian R Bernard [mailto:ibernard <@t> uab.edu]
> Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2013 6:57 AM
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: [Histonet] Cytopathology Quest.
>
> Per text books, for cytology specimens, 95% Ethyl Alcohol is the fixative of choice.  Are there any studies or references that approve 95% isopropyl or denatured alcohol as a suitable substitute?
>
> Ian Bernard