title: Gel tubes: a method of core-specimen retrieval and transport.
abstract: The utility of saving core biopsy specimens in sterile gel tubes was evaluated with 30 liver and 30 kidney core specimens obtained at open biopsy with an 18-gauge needle during autopsy. The core specimens were saved with one of three methods: gel tube, formalin swirl, or scalpel retrieval. The combined-organ mean time for the radiologist to save core specimens was not statistically significantly different with gel tubes (3.8 seconds) and the formalin-swirl method (4.5 seconds). Both of these methods, however, were significantly faster than the scalpel-retrieval method (11.2 seconds) (P < .001). The combined radiologist and cytotechnologist time was greatest with the gel tubes (35.1 seconds vs 14.7 and 21.2 seconds, respectively). Core specimens were broken with the formalin-swirl and scalpel-retrieval methods but not with the gel-tube method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Penn State University, Hershey 17033, USA.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: TenHave
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels