Andrea
The $1000 kits are for IHC.

R. Fitzl


>From: "Andrea Kaj" <andreakaj@hotmail.com>
>To: HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: Automated special stains
>Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 01:55:41 PDT
>
>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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