Chapter 4 Self-check Questions and Answers

4.1 What are the four steps of tissue processing?

  • Fixation
  • Dehydration
  • Clearing
  • Impregnation

4.2 What is the purpose of embedding?

  • To secure tissue with the correct orientation in a tissue block

4.3 What are the key health and safety risks associated with microtomy?

  • Risk of harm via the microtome blade of cuts
  • Risk of upper limb repetitive strain disorder

4.4 What factors affect tissue section quality when cutting a block?

  • Sharpness of the cutting blade
  • Rigidity of the knife and specimen holder
  • Hardness of the tissue and presence of focal calcification
  • Blood within the tissue
  • The coldness of the blocks

4.5 What are the key infection risks associated with frozen sections?

  • TB, HIV or Hepatitis B

4.6 Why are automated staining machines used routinely?

  • Consistency of staining
  • Sheer numbers of slides involved

4.7 What is internal quality control?

Internal quality control checks ensure a laboratory has in place measures to assure and ensure the quality of stained slides produced.

  • Block checking
  • Microscope checking of slides
  • Checking the slide against the request form and block
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