Developing A Multi-Tissue Control Block for H&E And Special Stain Panels

The fundamental quality control element involved in any degree of patient testing is a control device or specimen that validates the performance of the test itself. This quality assurance measure ensures that the solutions, chemistry, testing methods, and instrumentation involved in the test are all performing effectively. In Histopathology staining it is typically some form of test slide with a positive specimen that will give the expected positive response to the test. We see this type of quality assurance in routine (H&E) staining, special stains, cytochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Testing slides such as this can be acquired through commercial vendors, or developed via in-house manual methods. This session will discuss the various uses and applications of control slides from simple one tissue positive specimen, to 'Uni-Slide' controls where control and patient case specimen are both on one slide, to Tissue Microarray (TMA), to Multi-Tissue Control Blocks. The session will focus primarily on developing your own multi-tissue control block for your daily H&E routine stain on surgical cases, and also other specific stains performed in your laboratory, based on the stains most commonly used by your pathologist. This proves to be very effective in staining for specific special stain and immunohistochemistry panels. Regulatory compliance will be emphasized in control tissue acquisition, construction method for Multi-Tissue block(s), and validation methods for the MTC block created before it is used in standard testing.

CEUs: This histology course is worth 1 continuing education credit. Course is available for 365 days from date of purchase.