[Histonet] tape for digital scanning...RE: Stainer vs. Stainer

[Morken, Timothy]

I'll note that we have used glass coverslips in histology forever but are switching to tape not for the speed (though that is appreciated) but because the tape dries instantly and can be put in a slide scanner right away, while glass slides cannot until dry enough - takes a lot longer. In fact, we were cutting tape strips down to use as coverslips for FS slides so we could scan right away for remote Dx while the OR was waiting. 

The taped slides scan fine and the images are fine. 

The primary complaint about taped slides is that the tape scratches and so makes microscopy a bit more difficult, and we pull slides constantly for various conferences. However, with scanned images it makes no difference. The slides are scanned when the tape is pristine, stored and rarely pulled again. 

Tim Morken
Supervisor, Electron Microscopy/Neuromuscular Special Studies
Department of Pathology
UC San Francisco Medical Center

-----Original Message-----
From: Terri Braud via Histonet [mailto:histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2019 12:10 PM
To: 'histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
Subject: [Histonet] Stainer vs. Stainer

Hi Alison - 
I've used both stainers and like both of them a lot.  Both were super reliable and easy to use.  However, coverslipping is a different story.
I've used both film and glass.  About film - super quick, super easy, but - the purity of the xylene used to coverslip from film must be absolute. Anyone who has experienced film pulling off the slides in storage had a miniscule portion of water carried down the acohols and into the xylene. If it were glass, the process is a bit more forgiving of water contaminent. The absolute alcohols leading to the end xylenes must be kept very fresh.  I kept film slides for over 20 years, no problem.  If you are looking into digital pathology, I would check with vendors to see if film is acceptable.  I don't know.
As to coverslippers, we've been using the Sakura glass now for 10 years and love it.  I can't compare it to the newer Leica Glass, but 10 years ago my techs all preferred the Sakura because it had fewer moving parts and the maintenance was easier.  I hope this helps.  Good Luck, Terri

Terri L. Braud, HT(ASCP)
Anatomic Pathology Supervisor
Laboratory
Holy Redeemer Hospital
1648 Huntingdon Pike
Meadowbrook, PA 19046
ph: 215-938-3689
fax: 215-938-3874
Care, Comfort, and Heal

   6. stainer v. stainer (Perl , Alison)
   
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:08:14 +0000
From: "Perl , Alison" <aperl at cmmedical.com>
To: "'histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu'"
	<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Subject: [Histonet] stainer v. stainer


Hi all
We are getting ready to purchase a new H&E stainer/coverslipper, and are considering the Sakura Prisma Plus (tape) and the Leica Spectra (glass). Does anyone have good or bad feedback on either instrument, and/or tape v. glass? We've always had glass, but of course the coverslippers need more maintenance, take longer to dry, more expensive than tape, etc etc. So we are very interested in tape, but still a little hesitant about the old problems of yellowing and peeling after 10+ years. Since we're in NY, we have to keep all slides for 20 years....

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Alison Perl, HTL(ASCP)CM
Anatomic Pathology Manager
CareMount Medical
110 South Bedford Rd
Mount Kisco, NY 10549
(914) 302-8424
aperl at cmmedical.com<mailto:aperl at cmmedical.com>
https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=0a167f0a-5656125c-0a165817-0cc47adb57f0-ef5d177b74bfb01b&u=http://www.caremountmedical.com/<https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=7d5d1c43-211d7115-7d5d3b5e-0cc47adb57f0-5bf74e266e70326a&u=http://www.caremountmedical.com/>



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