Overview of Immunocytochemical Approaches to the Differential Diagnosis of Tumors

Table 1 Pathology Preparations for Immunocytochemistry a

Source

Preparation

Fixation

Tissue

Paraffin-embedded

Formalin, ethanol, B5,

block

Bouin’s, or Carnoy’s

Frozen sections

Air-dried-acetone

Cytologic fine needle

Smear/filter

Ethanol

aspirates, brush, wash,

Cytospin

Air-dried-acetone

body fluids

Cell block

Formalin or ethanol

Sputum/gynecologic PAP

Smear

Ethanol with detergent

smear

Imprints (touch preps),

Smear

Ethanol or air-dried-acetone

squash preps, scrape preps

^a Sources of specimens, the type of preparation, and the fixation needed for immunocytochem-

istry. Almost any type of specimen preparation or fixative can be used. The gentlest fixation is

air-dried-acetone, which consists of first air-drying the slide followed by a brief acetone

postfixation (see Chapters 9-12).