Experience with an automated microwave-assisted rapid tissue processing method: validation of histologic quality and impact on the timeliness of diagnostic surgical pathology.

Author(s): Morales AR, Nassiri M, Kanhoush R, Vincek V, Nadji M

Publication: Am J Clin Pathol, 2004, Vol. 121, Page 528-36

PubMed ID: 15080304 PubMed Review Paper? No

Purpose of Paper

Conclusion of Paper

Studies

1. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of RTP and CTP on the quality of specimen morphology and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining using a panel of 14 histochemical stains and 31 antibodies on 14 diseased and normal tissue types. In addition, chromogenic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed to assess any effects of RTP and CTP on RNA or DNA detection.

   Summary of Findings:

   Nine blinded pathologists showed considerable discordance when trying to determine whether slides were processed using the RTP or CTP method. Each method produced slides of similar histochemical and IHC staining quality for most antigens. However, the authors state that intermediate filament antibodies showed higher sensitivity and Ki67 showed somewhat lower staining sensitivity with RTP tissue, but these differences were eliminated with small adjustments to the antibody dilutions. Furthermore, the authors show in situ hybridization results were excellent in RTP tissue, although no direct comparison is given with CTP tissue.

   Biospecimens

   • Tissue - Skin
   • Tissue - Breast
   • Tissue - Testis
   • Tissue - Pancreas
   • Tissue - Small Bowel
   • Tissue - Spleen
   • Tissue - Prostate
   • Tissue - Parathyroid Gland
   • Tissue - Lung
   • Tissue - Liver
   • Tissue - Uterus
   • Tissue - Ovary
   • Tissue - Adenoid
   • Tissue - Thymus Gland

   Preservative Types

   • Formalin

   Diagnoses:

   • Normal
   • Cirrhosis
   • Neoplastic - Carcinoma
   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Morphology	H-and-E microscopy
   Morphology	Light microscopy
   Protein	Immunohistochemistry
   RNA	In situ hybridization
   DNA	FISH

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Preservation	Duration of tissue/ specimen processing	67 min (microwave-assisted) 12 h (conventional)
   Light microscopy Specific	Type of tissue stain	Acid fast Alcian blue Argentaffin Bile Colloidal iron Congo red Elastic van Gieson Iron Mucicarmine Periodic acid-Schiff Reticulin Methenamine silver Trichrome
   In situ hybridization Specific	Targeted nucleic acid	Human papillomavirus Epstein-Barr virus HER-2
   FISH Specific	Targeted nucleic acid	HER-2
   Biospecimen Preservation	Clearing duration/condition	Heat and vacuum (conventional) 62 degrees C, no vacuum (microwave)
   Biospecimen Preservation	Dehydration duration/condition	Heat and vacuum (conventional) 62 degrees C, no vacuum (microwave)

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2. Study Purpose

   The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of reusing dehydration and embedding reagents in the RTP method.

   Summary of Findings:

   Assessment of every 20th specimen processed using the same reagents revealed no differences in H&E staining quality across all 1000 specimens.

   Biospecimens

   • Tissue - Liver

   Preservative Types

   • Formalin

   Diagnoses:

   • Normal
   • Not specified

   Platform:

   Analyte	Technology Platform
   Morphology	H-and-E microscopy

   Pre-analytical Factors:

   Classification	Pre-analytical Factor	Value(s)
   Biospecimen Preservation	Dehydration duration/condition	The same reagents for 1000 specimens
   Biospecimen Preservation	Embedding duration/condition	The same reagents for 1000 specimens

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