Andrea,
The special stain kits are not $1000.  Yes it takes approx. 1 hour or more
for the more complicated stains, and you can stain only 20 slides on each
module. But, you can stain a multiple staining procedures at the same time,
(GMS, Retic, PAS and many others).  Being a walk away system this allows you
to do other things while your slides are staining.  My technician love ours.
I did an extensive cost analysis before we bought the system and found that
it was less expensive when you consider hands on tech time.

Donna Willis
Histology Lab Manager
Harris Methodist Fort Worth, Texas
 ----------
From: Andrea Kaj
To: HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Automated special stains
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 3:55AM

There was a comment from last week that I just can't let go off. Robin F
told that a lab payed $1000 for a (one!) special stain kit from Ventana.
My, it sounds grotesque. That is around the amount I spend yearly on powder
and regents for special stains (well not totally, but close enough). Also, I
have heard that a run with 20 slides takes around one hour - in that time I
can stain 50-100 slides with various special stains. Doesn't sound optimal
to me.
Usually the dyes last for one week (with a daily top-up), and the powders
are almost of eternal life. So why accept these expensive kits with an
expiry less than 9 months?
Is it low volume labs that benefit from this kind of automation?
I welcome technical improvements and automation, but this, I do not know who
benefits besides from the vendor......?
Other opinions most welcome. Andrea.


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