title: Implementation of a new rapid tissue processing method--advantages and challenges.
abstract: Conventional tissue processing of histologic specimens has been carried out in the same manner for many years. It is a time-consuming process involving batch production, resulting in a 1-day delay of the diagnosis. Microwave-assisted tissue processing enables a continuous high flow of histologic specimens through the processor with a processing time of as low as 1h. In this article, we present the effects of the automated microwave-assisted tissue processor on the histomorphologic quality and the turnaround time (TAT) for histopathology reports. We present a blind comparative study regarding the histomorphologic quality of microwave-processed and conventionally processed tissue samples. A total of 333 specimens were included. The microwave-assisted processing method showed a histomorphologic quality comparable to the conventional method for a number of tissue types, including skin and specimens from the gastrointestinal, urogenital, and female genital tract. We studied the TAT for all histologic specimens received in a period of six consecutive weeks in 2006 and 2007, respectively. We found a positive impact on TATs after introducing microwave-assisted processing in the laboratory. Turnaround times, in general, were improved, and same-day-reporting, in particular, showed an increase from 0% to 15%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hilleroed Hospital, Helsevej 2, 3400 Hilleroed, Denmark. Munkholm@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Munkholm
authors.forename: Maj-Lis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Talman
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasselager
mesh_terms: D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008872:Microwaves; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors