title: Comparison of routine fixation of tissues with rapid tissue fixation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue provides superior cellular morphology and long-term storage. Problems with formalin fixation comprise delay of fixation and variations in the duration of fixation. Microwave assisted tissue fixation removes the use of noxious and potentially toxic formalin that decreases the turnaround time and creates a personnel friendly workflow.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was conducted over a period of two years. One hundred and forty paired tissue sections were taken including both neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues. One of the paired tissues was fixed in formalin and the other was fixed by using microwave irradiation in phosphate buffered saline. Both were then processed by conventional method. Each slide was examined and rated for the adequacy of fixation by two pathologists in a blinded fashion using 7 parameters: Cellular outline, cytoplasmic detail, nuclear detail, erythrocyte integrity, lymphocyte appearance, overall morphology and overall staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistical analysis showed that sections obtained from microwave fixed tissues were comparable to that of routinely fixed tissue. The p-values of all parameters were not significant except for the overall morphology for which p-value was significant owing to loss of tissue in some cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microwave irradiation substantially shortened the time from specimen reception to diagnosis (turnaround time) and allowed same-day tissue processing and diagnosis of specimens without compromising the overall quality of the histologic section.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Pathology, Subharti University , Meerut, India .
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Professor & Head, Department of Pathology, Subharti University , Meerut, India .
authors.forename: Rani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Subharti University , Meerut, India .
authors.forename: Mamta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Professor, Deptartment of Pathology, Subharti Medical College , Meerut, India .
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bharat
keywords: Fixation; Microwave; Turnaround time