Biopsy Techniques and Tissue Processing

Core Needle Biopsy

Removes a tissue sample using a large needle.

Curetting

Scraping or scooping tissue with a curette.

Excision Biopsy

Removes the entire abnormal area.

Fine Needle Biopsy (FNAB)

Uses a fine needle to remove cells.

Incisional Biopsy

Removes part of the tissue for testing.

Shave Biopsy

Shaves off thin layers of tissue.

Punch Biopsy

Removes a circular full-thickness skin sample.

Curette

Surgical tool with a scoop or loop at the tip.

Preserved Specimen

Tissue treated with a fixative like formalin for permanent preservation.

Fresh Specimen

Tissue processed without immediate fixation.

Teasing and Dissociation

Separation of tissue in isotonic solutions to isolate cells.

Normal Saline Solution (NSS)

A salt solution similar to body fluids.

Ringer's Lactate Solution

A balanced salt solution matching blood plasma composition.

Squash Preparation (Crush Preparation)

Compressing small tissue pieces between slides for examination.

Supravital Stain

A stain applied to living cells to visualize them under a microscope.

Smear Preparation

Spreading cellular material thinly across a slide.

Streaking

Spreading tissue or secretion in a straight or zigzag line.

Spreading

Creating a thick film on a slide by teasing apart mucous strands.

Pull-apart

Spreading material between two slides by pulling them apart.

Touch Preparation (Impression Smear)

Pressing tissue onto a slide to transfer cells for examination.

Phase Contrast Microscope

A microscope that allows for the visualization of unstained cells.

Bright-field Microscope

A standard microscope used to view stained cells.

Accession Number

A unique identification number for each specimen.

Fixation

The process of preserving tissue with chemicals like formalin.

Decalcification

Removing calcium from tissues like bone using acids or chelating agents.

Dehydration

Removal of water from tissue using alcohol solutions.

Clearing

Replacing alcohol with a clearing agent to make tissue transparent.

Impregnation

Infiltrating tissue with paraffin wax.

Embedding

Encasing tissue in wax to provide support for sectioning.

Trimming

Cutting away excess wax from the embedded tissue block.

Section-Cutting

Slicing the tissue into thin sections using a microtome.

Staining

Coloring tissue with dyes to highlight cellular structures.

Mounting

Covering stained tissue with a cover slip and mounting medium.

Microtome

A tool used to cut very thin sections of tissue.