title: How to submit a nail specimen.
abstract: The scarcity of specific submission protocols for nail unit biopsies presents many challenges for appropriate specimen processing. Many nail biopsies are received fragmented or without orientation, often resulting in less-than-ideal tissue embedding and poor histologic sections, which are difficult to interpret. Methods are described for proper nail matrix/bed biopsy and plate submission that incorporate aspects of previous submission protocols and include inking the biopsy specimen along with submitting the tissue on a drawing of the nail. Also described is a technique for maintaining adherence of nail plate to glass slides, a chronic challenge in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reinig
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Phoebe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA. Electronic address: cthompson@cta-lab.com.
authors.forename: Curtis T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009262:Nails / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Biopsy; Cassette; Formalin; Histology; Microscopy; Orientation; Sectioning; Tissue