Use of tissue ink to maintain identification of individual cores on needle biopsies of the prostate.

Singh, P. B. and Saw, N. K. and Haq, A. and Blades, R. A. and Martin, Frank L. and Matanhelia, S. S. and Nicholson, C. M. (2008) Use of tissue ink to maintain identification of individual cores on needle biopsies of the prostate. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 61 (9). pp. 1055-1057. ISSN 1472-4146

Abstract

Background: There is an increasing necessity to extract the maximum amount of information, beyond even a cancer diagnosis, from prostate biopsies. Thus, maintaining site-specific information regarding individual biopsy cores might be critical. Aim: To evaluate the applicability of employing tissue ink to maintain the identity of individual prostatic biopsy cores. Method: In this ongoing study, 12 core prostate biopsy specimens are sent to the laboratory in individual pots labelled according to anatomical site. The specimens are placed in two separate multi-compartment cassettes. They are inked with different colours to identify the site of origin from each lobe. The cassettes are then processed with a single paraffin block for each side; the six cores from each side can be mounted on a single slide. Results: The different colours used adhere well to the biopsy cores, thus maintaining the identity of each core. Six cores from each side are embedded in a single paraffin block and examined on a single slide, making it cost-effective, while maintaining high quality, accurate histopathological information. Conclusion: Differential inking of prostate biopsy cores is an easily applicable method that is cost-effective and provides tumour location information. Prostate biopsy data archived to maintain individual core information might be used to determine applicability of such information to predict extra-capsular extension by correlating with imaging and radical prostatectomy findings, and for treatment planning.