title: An improved processing method for breast whole-mount serial sections for three-dimensional histopathology imaging.
abstract: To develop and validate improved processing methods for producing diagnostic-quality, whole-mount serial sections for 3-dimensional imaging of whole-breast histopathologic studies, we subjected 4-mm-thick whole-specimen slices to a 38-hour microwave-assisted protocol. Morphologic features, antigenicity, and tissue shrinkage were evaluated. A schedule using the tissue processor was optimized by evaluating the serial section yield for 3 schedules. The microwave-based processing schedule is adequate for producing diagnostic-quality whole-mount breast serial sections of an area up to 6,000 mm(2) and is compatible with a variety of immunohistochemical stains. A mean +/- SE total tissue shrinkage of 8.4% +/- 0.2% resulted. For the tissue processor, optimal results are obtained using a 59-hour schedule. Total fixation and processing time for whole-mount serial breast sections has been reduced from 21 days to 38 hours, with microwave assistance, and to 59 hours without. No adverse effects of microwaves on morphologic features, antigenicity, or gross tissue dimensions were observed.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Laibao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Judit T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Zubovits
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yaffe
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008872:Microwaves; D013997:Time Factors