Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: April | Volume: 9 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 14-21
Technical Modification and Enhancement of Staining Using Kitchen Microwave Oven
Dr. Sheronica Laishram1, Dr. Obaid Noman2, Dr. Arvind Bhake3, Dr. Akanksha Wankhede1, Dr. Deepika Agrawal1
1Postgraduate, 2Assistant Professor, 3Professor and Head,
Department of Pathology, JNMC, Wardha, Maharashtra.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sheronica Laishram
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Good sample preparation and staining is the basis for successful interpretation of histopathological specimen. Staining of tissue specimens is based on two main factors namely diffusion of dyes into the cells and binding of the dyes to the substrate. Application of heat while staining hastens the staining procedure as it reduces the viscosity of the dye thereby increasing the diffusion of dye into the tissue sections. Hence, in this study we used inexpensive kitchen microwave oven with temperature control for microwave staining to compare with routine staining.
Aim: To assess the technical modification and enhancement of tissue staining by using kitchen microwave oven and to determine whether it can replace routine staining.
Materials and Methods: 100 surgically resected breast specimen blocks were taken. Two sections of each tissue blocks were mounted on two differently coded slides and stained with routine H&E (coded green) and microwave H&E (coded red) staining. The slides were evaluated by a pathologist totally blinded to the color coding.
Result: Microwave staining reduces the staining time by one-third. Cellular details, nuclear details and staining characteristics were not compromised in microwave staining rather were of good grades.
Conclusion: Microwave irradiation accelerates as well as enhances the staining of histopathological sections as compared to routine staining thereby, decreasing staining time for the reporting of histopathology. Thus, microwave can be used as a valuable adjunctive tool for staining and as an alternative to routine staining without compromising on the overall quality of the staining.
Key words: Kitchen microwave oven, Microwave H&E staining, Routine H&E staining.