I've viewed the photos of the problem and wholeheartedly agree with Vinnie - the pattern of artifact is consistent with the pattern on the biopsy sponges. I first noticed this artifact pattern in H+E's of endometrial currettings which were processed using bx pads years ago. The first 1 or 2 levels would show this pattern. We quit using the sponges and went back to lens paper for that reason. Now, if Laura's lab did NOT use biopsy pads for this sample, I'll have to blame aliens.
Jacqueline M. O'Connor HT(ASCP)
Abbott Laboratories
Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development
Discovery Chemotheraputics
847.938.4919
Fax 847.938.3266
Vinnie Della Speranza <dellav@musc.edu>
10/30/2002 04:59 PM
To: bliven.laura@marshfieldclinic.org, GDawson@Milw.Dynacare.com, histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
cc:
Subject: RE: Artefact on IHC slides
This is not an ihc artifact.
do you use sponges in your cassettes ? this looks to me that the biopsy came into contact with dry sponges which caused drying artifact in the tissue prior to immersion in fixative. the pattern of artifact is too regular to be consistent with Glen's suggestion of adhesion loss.
if I am correct, any lab that uses those blue or white sponges in their cassettes should saturate the sponges with formalin or whatever fixative you use to avoid drying of the sample when it comes into contact with the needle bx.
do let us know if you discover the cause. great mystery!!
Vinnie
Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309
Charleston, SC 29425
Ph: 843-792-6353
fax: 843-792-8974
My guess is that it is an adhesion problem. Maybe the slide that the tissue
was put on had a piece of gauze or something of the like sitting on it that
rubbed away the adhesive properties of the slide in a definite pattern. In
the spots where the adhesion was gone, the tissue lifted trapping DAB under
the tissue.
Glen Dawson.
-----Original Message-----
From: bliven.laura@marshfieldclinic.org
[mailto:bliven.laura@marshfieldclinic.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 1:26 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Artefact on IHC slides
Please view pictures on:
histonet.org and click on View List Serv Images
to view ipproblem1.jpg and ipproblem2.jpg.
The stain is IHC CD20 on a biopsy specimen using DAB as the chromogen and
Hematoxylin as the counterstain.
As far as I know, the tissue didn't come in contact with gauze and the
artifact pattern isn't consistent with our tissue cassettes. Just curious
as to any/all answers on this one.
Thanks,
Laura Bliven
Marshfield Laboratories
bliven.laura@marshfieldclinic.org