A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique offers an easy to learn approach to frozen section technique in the form of a highly illustrated handbook intended for onsite use in the laboratory. The book begins with a novel, clearly delineated, step by step approach to learning continuous motion brush technique. Emphasis is placed on recognizing and correcting artifacts during the preparation process. The book addresses all of the steps in the preparation of slides from cutting through cover-slipping. The author’s unique, original techniques for tissue embedding including face down embedding in steel well bars, frozen block cryoembedding and paper cryoembedding are detailed. Variables key to the quality of the preparation including block temperature, tissue properties and section thickness are detailed. The book also covers understanding the cryostat and basic maintenance and care.Sections covering techniques used in Mohs dermatologic surgery, and techniques used in basic animal and human research are discussed by noted experts in their field.
A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique will be of great value to pathologists, pathology residents in training and also experimental pathology researchers that rely upon this methodology to perform tissue analysis in research.
A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique
Stephen R. Peters Editor
A Practical Guide to Frozen Section Technique
Editor Stephen R. Peters University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey New Jersey Medical School Newark, NJ USA
[email protected]
ISBN 978-1-4419-1233-6 e-ISBN 978-1-4419-1234-3 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-1234-3 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London Library of Congress Control Number: 2009933112 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
Frozen section technique is a valuable tool used to rapidly prepare slides from tissue for microscopic interpretation. Frozen section technique is used in a myriad of clinical and research settings. In surgical pathology, frozen sections are routinely used for rapid intra-operative diagnosis, providing guidance for our surgical colleagues. In Mohs Micrographic Surgery, the surgeon relies entirely on the frozen sections to determine the extent of the excision needed to eradicate a skin tumor. Numerous research applications rely on the frozen section technique to prepare microscopic slides utilizing a host of sophisticated morphologic, immunohistochemical and molecular methods. Preparation of frozen section slides is a complex technical process requiring development of refined technical skills, as well as an understanding of the histology, microanatomy and pathology of the tissues being examined. Whether used for intra-operative consultation or in research, the results will hinge on our ability to achieve a high quality preparation. The training in frozen section can vary conside