Histology Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.

The H & E section of the brain biopsy (left frame)revealed edema of the parencymya with the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the perivascular spaces. The close in view of the exudate (right) frame reveals that the inflammatory exudate is comprised primarily of polymorphonuclear luekocytes. The histologic diagnosis therefore is suppurative meningitis, with culture results necessary to establish the etiologic agent.

Specialists in radioassay use radionuclides to determine the chemical makeup of body fluids such as blood and urine. Specialists in blood gas analysis evaluate lung and breathing function by levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, and hemoglobin with automated tests. Specialists in histology examine cellular and tissue samples using fixation, dehydration, embedding, microtomy, frozen sectioning, staining, and other similar techniques. Histology specialists licensed as technicians can perform specimen processing, embedding, cutting, staining, and frozen sectioning only under the general supervision of a director, supervisor, or technologist. Specialists in cytology process and interpret samples relating cytopathological disease. Non-gynecological cytology preparations can be screen by a specialist in cytology but final review and interpretation must be done by a physician.

Formaldehyde is a preservative, ideally used in: Histology laboratories Autopsy laboratories Surgical pathology Anywhere biopsies are performed