Frozen Question

[Whiskeyjack]

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Hey Guys,
Can someone tell me what specimens its appropriate to do a touch/smear prep for frozens? Very few attending's do and most don't. And even the ones that do aren't consistent with doing them. It seems almost as if they got to the room before the frozen section slide was ready got bored and decided to do something.

Everything else at my program is pretty well covered (didactics..e.t.c) but it seems in terms of teaching the frozens appears to be completely about what you learn from doing it. I'm in my second year now and I'm no way comfortable with them (calling it) yet and I've done tons... Is it covered well in any textbooks? any frozen atlases out there??

 

[yaah]

You can do it on anything, it can provide some info. Most helpful on lymph nodes, thyroids, brains, sometimes unknown soft tissue masses. Obviously not helpful on certain specimens (margins, duh). Making a touch prep takes very little time and unless the tissue is extremely small does not hurt the specimen. Plus, it can help you learn cytology.

 

[smellycat]

We do touchpreps on brain specimens because they are usually very small and we don't do frozens on them. Just becareful with touchpreps because you can get a lot of crush artifact if you smash them too much.

 

[cuthere]

what is your favorite marking dye? i tring to look for what works the best and what you dont like about what you use i think i have tried them all

thanks for any reply

 

[pathgrrl]

"Parathyroid" glands
Lymph nodes -- do both a Diff-quick and H&E
Breast sentinel nodesaa