title: Supravital staining of synovial fluid with Testsimplets.
abstract: We explored the use of Testsimplet (TS) in synovial fluid (SF) analysis. TS is a glass slide coated with a dry mixture of methylene blue and cresyl violet, which in contact with one drop of SF provides a stained fresh preparation. We applied the TS to the study of 159 SFs of patients with different rheumatic diseases. In those SFs of patients with crystal-associated diseases, the crystal search was performed both on unstained preparations and with TS. TS was as good as the Wright's and Papanicolaou stain in characterizing SF cells, lupus erythematosus cells, and detection of occasional bacteria. TS allowed a better visualization of Reiter's cells, cartilage fragments, synovial villi, fat droplets, and fibrin. Crystals were identified in every TS of those patients with crystal-associated diseases. TS is a rapid and reproducible method of SF supravital staining. Crystals are well preserved for simultaneous examination with compensated polarized light.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersy, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reginato
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Reginato
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Falasca
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D048588:Benzoxazines; D006801:Humans; D008751:Methylene Blue; D010078:Oxazines; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D048588:Benzoxazines; D010078:Oxazines; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; C028911:cresyl violet; D008751:Methylene Blue