We demo'd the Ventana and CytoLogix stainers and chose the Cytologix. We
have 3 units to help with turn around time. They recently upgraded the
software and kits to improve throughput. We purchase the control slides with
the box for the control . We also on occasion put the control on top near
label end and circle it on the bottom with a red gram stain pen before send
out and note on the slide label "Control on top in Red"
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Johnson, Mickey [SMTP:JohnsoM@shmc.org]
> Sent:	Monday, March 20, 2000 8:15 AM
> To:	'Colbert, Laurie'; 'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
> Subject:	RE: Automation of Special Stains
> 
> Hi Laurie,
> We put our control section on the slide with the patient sections. We
> consistently put these sections at the lable end of the slide and draw a
> line across the coverslip to mark where the patient tissue section(s)
> start.
> We do the same for IHC stains.  It is the only way to insure that the
> patient slide stained correctly. 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Mickie
> 
> Michael L Johnson, BS, HTL(ASCP)
> Histology Supervisor
> Department of Pathology
> Sacred Heart Medical Center
> W. 101 8th Avenue
> Spokane, WA 99220
> 
> johnsom@shmc.org
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Colbert, Laurie [mailto:LColbert@phsca.org]
> Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2000 11:37 AM
> To: 'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
> Subject: RE: Automation of Special Stains
> 
> 
> In the past we used the Leica Autostainer to do some special stains.  This
> worked well, but large amounts of reagent were needed to fill the slide
> buckets on the stainer and the number of stains that could be performed at
> one time was limited.
> 
> We now have two Cytologix stainers in our lab.  One was purchased and one
> is
> on loan until Cytologix can improve on the turn-around time.  The stains
> are
> really nice on this stainer, but there are a  few problems with
> consistency.
> The stainer can accommodate 48 slides at one time, but, as I mentioned
> earlier, the turn-around time is not good when you have multiple stains or
> multiple slides (more that 3 or 4) slides of one stain.  What is really
> nice
> is that we can run stains overnight and they are ready to hand out first
> thing in the morning.  So this aspect has improved our turn-around time.
> 
> Cytologix is aware of the problems with their stainer, and they are very
> receptive to any issue or problem we have had.  I think this is going to
> be
> a really great stainer down the line when some of the bugs have been
> worked
> out.  For now, we will continue work around the problems, and the stainer
> really has saved us several times when we were short on people.  And I
> have
> to emphasize that their customer service has been good.
> 
> I may be opening a can of worms here, but I have a question in regards to
> automation of stains.  I feel there is no real quality control on the
> stainers that stain one slide at a time (vs. batch staining as on the
> Leica
> Autostainer).  Sure, your control may be positive, but how do you know the
> patient slide was stained properly when it is stained independent of the
> control slide?  We have had our control slide come out negative, but our
> patient was positive, so who's to say that this couldn't  happen the other
> way around???
> 
> Laurie Colbert
> Saint Joseph Medical Center
> Burbank, CA