Ronnie,

I did diagnostic EM for 11 years and handled about 200 cases per year.
I also did LM immunochemistry at the same time (150 slides/week).

If you are hand processing your EM specimens the following will apply:

Fix and process specimen: one day. Polymerize overnight.
Thick section, choose fields and thin section, stain: two hours.
review, Photograph, process negatives and make prints: four hours.

If you have several specimens going at once (the normal scenario), the
time will drag out a bit more. On an uncomplicated case we usually were
able to do a three-day turn-around from receipt of specimen to final
report.

A automatic tissue processor for EM would allow you to do more specimens
per day.

Using microwave methods for fixation and polymerization, and stat
processing schedules with an automated processor, you can do all this in
one day (Stat High Resolution Light Microscopy (HRLM)-Transmission
Electron Microscopy (TEM) Techniques for Trasplant Renal Biopsies.
Flores, T.R, et.al, J Histotech V21:3 pp 213-219, Sept 1998)


Tim Morken, B.S., EMT(MSA), HTL(ASCP)
Infectious Disease Pathology
Centers for Disease Control
MS-G32
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30333
USA

email: tim9@cdc.gov
       timcdc@hotmail.com

FAX:  (404)639-3043



----Original Message Follows----
Date: Mon, 05 Oct 1998 00:18:55 -0700
From: Ronnie Houston <rhh1@airmail.net>
Subject: EM workload
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu

There has been some recent discussion about routine surgical workload.
would anyone be willing to share their opinion about Electron
Microscopy; ie, how long should it take to process, cut and stain thick
and thin sections, and scan and photograph cases. Thanks
Ronnie Houston
Cytochemistry & Molecular Pathology
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Dallas







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