title: Frozen sections of bone biopsies in metabolic and other bone diseases.
abstract: Frozen sections of bone trephine and needle biopsies can be satisfactorily cut in a standard cryostat and, when stained with haematoxylin and eosin, they enable a rapid diagnosis to be made in a wide range of metabolic bone disorders including Paget's disease, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, hyperparathyroidism and renal osteodystrophy. Neoplastic disease of bone may also be diagnosed using the same technique. A tissue diagnosis can be established within an hour of the biopsy being taken, instead of the 1-3 weeks required for resin section diagnosis, with a consequent potential saving in further costly biochemical and radiological investigations, a possible shortening of the patient's stay in hospital and earlier initiation of correct treatment. The method is quick, reliable and highly cost-effective; it is of particular value in laboratories with insufficient workload to justify the expenditure on specialized microtomes and reagents for resin embedding.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005629:Frozen Sections / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008867:Microtomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013997:Time Factors