Are you using recycled alcohols? Check your concentrations. Could your cassettes be "floating up" during processing? It is possible they have air bubbles trapped in the cassette and aren't properly dehydrated. Check and change your staining alcohols and clearants to make sure there isn't water from humidity or carry over. It has always been my experience that recycled dehydrants/clearants are the culprit. But, that being said, we have on occasions had an errant cassettes to float up during processing.
Debbie M. Boyd, HT(ASCP) l Chief Histologist l Southside Regional Medical Center I 200 Medical Park Boulevard l Petersburg, Va. 23805 l T: 804-765-5050 l F: 804-765-5582 l dkb...@chs.net Carol Bryant <cb...@lexclin.com> Sent by: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu 07/25/2011 01:42 PM To "histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> cc Subject [Histonet] blurry tissue I would like some thoughts on how to resolve some "blurry" looking tissue. We have had occasional tissue that looks blurry and not crisp for several weeks now. It is not all the cases only random tissues. The tissue is not on the same tissue processor either. We have 2 processors. The latest cases were a breast, some skins, and a prostate. I am not certain if this is happening on the tissue processor or in the stainer. It has been very humid in our lab so I have started running a dehumidifier in case there is water in the xylene. It is so hit and miss that I am puzzled. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your thoughts. Carol Bryant, CT (ASCP) Cytology/Histology Manager Pathology Services Lexington Clinic Phone (859) 258-4082 Fax (859) 258-4081 cb...@lexclin.com NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY This message, including any attachments, is intended only for the sole use of the addressee and may contain confidential or privileged information that is protected by the State of Kentucky and/or Federal regulations. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, copy, retain or disseminate this message or any attachment. If you have received this message in error, please call the sender immediately at (859)258-4000 and delete all copies of this message and any attachment. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, copying or distribution is strictly prohibited. Neither the transmission of this message or any attachment, nor any error in transmission or misdelivery shall constitute waiver of any applicable legal privilege. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain information that is Proprietary, Confidential, or legally privileged or protected. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) and entity named in the message. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. Do not deliver, distribute or copy this message and do not disclose its contents or take any action in reliance on the information it contains. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet