COMPOUND MICROSCOPE

Reference book : Histophatologic Techniques

Gregorios by Jocelyn H. Bruce-Gregorios, M.D

The microscope is one piece of equipment that is used by

both the pathologist and the histotechnologist. The
pathologist examines the slide under the microscope to
identify a disease process or an abnormality that will
directly affect the patient's treatment. The
histotechnologist examines the same slide microscopically
for quality control to determine whether all technical
processes are done properly and if a slide of diagnostic
quality has been achieved. It is therefore important for
the histotechnologist to be knowledgeable and skilled in
the use of the microscope.

COMPOUND MICROSCOPE
A compound light microscope is a microscope with more than one lens and
its own light source. In this type of microscope, there are ocular lenses in the
binocular eyepieces and objective lenses in a rotating nosepiece closer to the
specimen. Because it contains its own light source at its base, a compound light
microscope is also considered a bright field microscope, which means that the
specimen is lit from below and viewed from above. Illumination comes from
below and contrast in the sample is caused by absorbance of some of the
transmitted light in dense areas of the sample. Bright-field microscopy is the
simplest and most popular of all techniques used for illumination of samples in
light microscopes.

Care and Maintenance of the

Compound Microscope
The microscope is a delicate, precisely aligned instrument. A
skilled individual should perform preventive care and maintenance
of the microscope. Only if the instrument is used correctly and
maintained regularly is it capable of producing the best image
data possible. Careless, incorrect operation and maintenance
techniques not only result in unreliable and poor quality images,
but also cause productivity at the microscope to suffer, and the
instrument's useful lifetime to be greatly reduced.

Always support the microscope when carrying. It should be cradled - one hand holding it by the arm,
the other supporting the base. The best way to carry a microscope is in its case. Never disassemble
the microscope as doing so may cause electric shock or damage to the microscope. To avoid
electric shock or damage to the instrument, unplug the microscope before replacing the bulb. Use
only the prescribed halogen or fluorescent bulb. Allow the halogen bulbs to cool before touching.
Halogen bulbs become extremely hot and may cause burns if touched. Keep the microscope
covered when not in use. Microscope life is extended when they are covered during storage. This
should be done even if they are stored in a cabinet. Among several types of plastic cover, those
made of softer more flexible material are probably less prone to dust. Lint-free fabric covers are
also available, and provide an effective dust barrier that can minimize the need for cleaning the
microscope. Never store a microscope with the eyepiece removed or uncovered, since dust will
collect in the body tube and be very difficult to clean. Keep the body tube sealed at all times. A
microscope that remains unused for a lengthy period of time can accumulate dust and debris from
the air. This is aggravated by leaving the instrument uncovered, which can lead to deterioration of
image quality even though the instrument may be practically new. Keep the microscope in a dry
place. Do not store the microscope in direct sunlight. Sunlight can influence the quality of the
specimen imaging. In humid or moist environments, it is advisable to store the microscope in a
waterproof container with a drying agent.

Clean smudges, fingerprints, oils, and other contaminants from the lens with clean lens paper or a soft
clean cloth moistened with a small amount of absolute alcohol-ether mixture. If an alcohol-ether mixture
is unavailable, use isopropyl alcohol. The top lens of the eyepiece should be polished to remove dust or
finger marks, and the microscope should be checked for critical illumination. Lenses should be wiped
daily and as necessary with fresh lens paper (rough paper or cloth will cause scratching of the lens).
Rotation of the eyepiece will show if any dust is present. If so, the eyepiece may need to be dismantled
and both lenses cleaned. Substage condenser should be checked for dust. If dust is present on the
condenser, the object being viewed will come in and out of focus when racked up and down – always
focus UP! The use of immersion oil is essential in maximizing the microscope’s optical performance, but
its improper use or failure to immediately remove the oil after each use constitutes the most serious
contaminant that must be dealt with in instrument maintenance. Oil that has been stored for more than
one or two years may not perform optically the same as fresh oil, and a potential increase in viscosity
often makes it more difficult to remove. Consequently, containers of immersion oil should be labeled
with the date received, and discarded when necessary. Immersion oil should always be wiped from all
surfaces immediately after use even if additional slides are going to be observed. The practice of simply
adding additional drops of oil when changing to the next slide results in excess oil accumulating on the
microscope. Immersion oil is most safely removed using only lens tissue, without employing any solvents.