Ultra-rapid diagnostic tissue preparation as an alternative to frozen section

摘要

Improved methods and systems for processing of solid tissue are described. The method may be performed manually or automatically. The system may have modules such as (i) a grossing module where a fresh tissue is sliced to prepare a tissue specimen, (ii) a hardening module that hardens the tissue specimen, (iii) an impregnating module that impregnates the tissue specimen that was hardened, and (iv) an embedding module that embeds a tissue specimen that was hardened and impregnated. Fresh (i.e., not fixed or frozen) tissue, which was excised to diagnose disease or to assess surgical treatment, is grossed to about 0.6 mm. Preferably, the hardening of fresh tissue is initiated, but not completed, during grossing by contact with a chemical admixture. Preferably, dry ice, a thermoelectric device, or a gas condenser cools a metal mold containing the embedded specimen. It is sectioned and then microscopically examined as an alternative to histologic examination of a frozen section to avoid the known problems of discordant and deferred diagnosis.

主权项

1. A system for processing of a specimen from a solid tissue, comprising:
(a) a hardening module to harden the specimen, comprised of (i) a first chamber having an interior shaped as a whispering gallery, (ii) a first lid that isolates the first chamber when closed, is opaque to microwave radiation, and accesses the first chamber when open, (iii) a first gasket retaining chemical fumes and evaporation within the interior of the first chamber, and (iv) a radiation source transmitting microwave energy to the interior of the first chamber; wherein the specimen is contacted with a chemical admixture in the whispering gallery; (b) an impregnating module to impregnate the specimen that was hardened, comprised of (i) a second chamber having an interior capable of providing a reduced pressure relative to the exterior, (ii) a second lid that isolates the second chamber when closed and accesses the second chamber when open, (iii) a gasket maintaining a pressure differential between the interior and the exterior of the second chamber, (iv) a pump at least decreasing pressure within the interior of the second chamber below 1 bar, and (v) a heater conducting thermal energy to the interior of the second chamber; wherein the hardened specimen is contacted with a molten matrix in the chamber; and (c) an embedding module to solidify a block containing the specimen that was hardened and impregnated, comprised of a cooler conducting thermal energy from the block.