Comparison of conventional and microwave histo-processing of various oral soft tissue specimens

Abstract

Background and Aim: While a number of pathologists have reviewed the techniques and results of microwave-facilitated tissue fixation and processing, there has been no record of any previous studies where specific tissues were chosen and compared. Hence, the aim of the present study was to specifically evaluate and compare the diagnostic ability of selective oral soft tissue specimens processed and stained by the conventional and microwave method. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised of 40 formalin-fixed tissue samples from the archives of the Department of Oral Pathology, 10 each of epithelial, muscle, adipose and glandular tissue. Each specimen was cut into two halves with one half processed and stained by the conventional method while the other by the microwave method. With the procedure blinded, four observers evaluated the slides employing Babu et al's criteria pertaining to cellular clarity, cytoplasmic details, nuclear detail and color intensity. The results were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test and kappa. Results: The microwave method yielded better results as compared to the conventional with respect to processing and staining although there was no statistical difference between the two. A drastic reduction in time with the microwave method was observed. Conclusion: The results obtained by microwave method surpassed the conventional method. Hence, it is ideal to adopt the microwave method for any oral soft tissue for quicker and reliable results.