title: The value of ethanol as a fixative in urinary cytology.
abstract: Although 50% ethanol is widely used as a fixative in urinary cytology, the value of this procedure has received little systematic analysis. The purpose of this study was to examine the preservative qualities of 50% ethanol when added to freshly collected urine for both immediate and delayed processing. The results indicate that: (1) degenerative changes occurring in vivo are common among urothelial cells and probably represent the single most important factor in cell preservation in voided urine; (2) with few exceptions, fresh, unfixed urine yields the greatest number of well-preserved cells; and (3) reconstitution in either saline or 25% ethanol-saline and 24-hour storage result in increased cellular degeneration. For Millipore filter preparations, the addition of 50% ethanol has no apparent advantage, even when processing must be delayed for several hours.
mesh_terms: D003584:Cytological Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D000431:Ethanol; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005404:Fixatives; D006801:Humans; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000166:cytology*; D014556:Urine / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D000431:Ethanol; D012965:Sodium Chloride