[Histonet] What is a level?

[Bruce Gapinski]

What is a level?
Levels, deepers, we all call it something different, but what exactly is a level?  I know it is all relative. One would never cut into a prostate needle biopsy the same way they'd cut into a skin.
But if we suppose are tissue sample is 3mm thick (don't laugh). How deeply would you cut when the pathologist asks for a level? I guess I'm talking to those of us with automated microtomes where we can set the trim to 10, 20, 30 microns. I started on a manual microtome where it's impossible to gauge this altogether.
So let's say I have a nicely processed ellipse of skin grossed 3mm thick.  The pathologist asks me for a level. If we assume I gave them a full face on the first slide, how much deeper should I go to get the level? 60-80 microns? Deeper? Less?
Your thoughts please,


Respectfully,
Bruce Gapinski HT (ASCP)


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