India ink is commonly used to mark margins on breast and skin biopsies. Dry the surface with a paper towel, then dab on India ink with a cotton swab and then dip the specimen (with or without blotting off the excess ink) in either 5% acetic acid (aqueous) or Bouin's fluid before cutting sections to submit in cassettes. The acid 'fixes' the dye to the surface so it will not run into the deeper recesses of the specimen. This method can also be used to fix colored inks to the margin when medial/lateral and superior/inferior orientation is important.
Mickie Mickie Johnson, B.S., HTL(ASCP) Mohs Histology Consulting Services, LLC & Mohs Lab Staffing 2507 S. Manito Blvd. Spokane, WA 99203 509-954-7134 FAX 509-624-3926 Web: www.mohshistogyconsulting.com & www.mohslabstaffing.com Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] DISCLAIMER: This message is intended for the sole use of the addressee, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee you are hereby notified that you may not use, copy, disclose, or distribute to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received this message in error, please immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete this message. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Susan Bachus Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 12:26 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] histology ink washing off Back in the old days we used to use "india ink" to label slides--so I don't know whether it would also work on tissue (as opposed to glass), but it might be worth a try. Susan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gudrun Lang" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Leslie Chen'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 5:15 AM Subject: AW: [Histonet] histology ink washing off We dry and heat the tissue surface with a hair-dryer at the grossing. It sounds a little bit rigid, but it works and the tissue margins are easily seen in the slide. The excess dye also will be solved in the NBF, but there sticks enough on the tissuemargins. Gudrun Lang Biomed. Analytikerin Histolabor Akh Linz Krankenhausstr. 9 4020 Linz +43(0)732/7806-6754 -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Im Auftrag von Leslie Chen Gesendet: Freitag, 10. Oktober 2008 22:31 An: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Betreff: [Histonet] histology ink washing off Hello, I am having a problem with histology tissue marking ink washing off specimens in water, PFA, or 70% alcohol. This is before the tissue even gets processed for paraffin embedding. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep the ink from coming off? Thank you. Leslie ________________________________ IMPORTANT WARNING: This email (and any attachments) is only intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. You, the recipient, are obligated to maintain it in a safe, secure and confidential manner. Unauthorized redisclosure or failure to maintain confidentiality may subject you to federal and state penalties. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify us by return email, and delete this message from your computer. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.8.0/1719 - Release Date: 10/10/2008 4:08 PM _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet