Augustinni Marie B Laga BSMT 3A Genpath Notes (ma’am Sing)

HISTOTECHNIQUE

1stpic- specimens submitted

in the lab.
1st pic (hand) tissue cassette-
where you place the cut
tissue for processing (ubos
sa hand) cuttings, if
specimen is small then you
wrap it first with lens paper
so that it will not be eroded
during fixation process.

2nd pic- bottle of fixative EX:

10% formalin (most
commonly used fixative)
place specimen in formalin
so that the specimen will be
preserved.
3rd pic- specimen and in. During gross examination, if the pathologist suspects ? in one of the
parts, he will place an ink so that during the cutting of the specimen, he will cut in that area (ink
is like a mark)
th
4 pic- Rotary microtome- used for cutting the tissue

In general pathology and histotechnique, you are studying the diseased tissue.

Two types of tissues nga ma process nato: *Autopsy- taking or studying tissues from a cadaver.
*Biopsy- taking or studying
tissues from a living person
As much as possible, we have to follow the proper timing in each steps in tissue processing, so
that we can obtain a good
microscopic tissue slide, in
order for the pathologist to
diagnose accurately,
whether the specimens
turns out to be malignant or
not. Any mistakes or
deficiency in each steps in
routine tissue processing
then there’s going to be a
problem. For example,
during fixation process (1st
step in RTP, time of fixation
depends on the type
specimen), if you did not follow the required time, for example hard? specimen that contains the
cervix/uterus, ideal fixation time is 12-24. If you fix it in 10 hours, it will matter, the inner part of
specimen won’t be penetrated by the fixative. Tendency to have incomplete fixation. Possibly,
the next step until the sectioning, you can’t produce a good tissue ribbon. Mag powdery ang
ribbon.

Formalin-most
commonly used fixative.
When purchased in the
market, it is available in
40% concentration.
Ideal for
fixative/preservative is
10% so you have to
dilute it first. (will be
taught in the lab).
Xylene and Toluene-
clearing agent
Xylene-most commonly
used clearing agent
while Toluene- is
substitute to the xylene.

Scalpel, scissors, ruler-

important when patho-
logist do the gross examination.
Gross examination: weight, color, size, and length of specimen is noted.

Bouin’s solution is a
fixative/preservative.
This type of fixative
becomes explosive
when dried,
precautionary measures
should always be in
mind in handling this
fixative.
 Specimen
Accessioning
when receiving a
specimen, there should
be an accompanying
request form (have info
and history of patient).
Don’t accept specimen
without request form
because the
pathologist will have no
idea on the info of
patient.
When you receive the
specimen in lab, you
have to number it. Ex:
no. 1 on request form
and no. 1 on the body
of container, not the
cover (tendency for covers to be exchanged, so write in the body)

If the laboratory has LIS(lab info system), it will be

easy for the medtech because numbers are
already written.
 Gross
examination
Color alone,
pathologists can
detect any
malignancies in
the specimen
submit-ted.

Example of request form.

There are specimens that are small
or (curratings?), should be put in
fixative, and wrapped in lens paper or
gauze so that during the process, it
will not be wash out.

Rack
Containers
Stains used in staining
Wooden spatula-used in collecting
specimen especially PAP smear. The
specimen collected is in the endo-
cervical smear, then the doctor will
collect.

Paraffin oven-used during infiltration

process and embedding. In infiltration
process, paraffin wax is place in the
oven and inside the container with
paraffin wax, you have to place the cut
tissue in order for the tissue to be
infiltrated. Temperature to be monitored
until 60 degree celsius. Beyond that,
paraffin will explode. This is also used
for embedding process, you melt the
paraffin wax. The melted paraffin wax
will be used as your embedding
medium in order for you to make a
tissue block.

Slide warmer- used during the

paraffinization process.
Microtome- instrument you will use when
you are assigned in the histopath
section.

Tissue floating out bath- used during

floatation of the tissue ribbon before it
will be transferred to the slide.

Coplin jar- used to carry the slides for

staining.
staining jar- used to hold stains during
staining process

Slide tray- when you’re done with your

tissue (done mounting, staining, labeled
etc.), you place the tissue in the slide
tray, and submit to the pathologist for
reading.

Slide carrier- used especially in staining

process to avoid contact with the stains.
You can use the glass staining jar, not
the coplin jar.
Automated tissue processor- can fix,
dehydrate, clear and infiltrate. Place
the reagents, and set the timer (ex in
fixation: 2 hours) after that, it will
transfer to the next container

Machine processing- (pic example)

Manual processing- do it manually,

you have to transfer from one
container to another container.
Microscopic slides- when you make slides for tissue processing, use the frosted slide. Ideal
because you can write on the frosted part (code no. of specimen)

Microscope- used to view slide for

diagnosis whether it has cancer cells or
not.