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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
Cell Block Preparation from Cytology Specimen with Predominance of Individually Scattered Cells
Published on: July 21, 2009
Specialized preparative devices are not needed for liquid-based, thin-layer cytology: an alternate manual method
1Department of Pathology, Mercy Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa 50314-2611, USA.
Abstract:
The blending and use of a metastable alcoholic gel is described. The gel creates durable, uniform suspensions of cells and small aggregates of cells. It allows the random, uniform transfer of virtually any liquid-fixed cytology specimens to a glass slide without the use of specialized devices, proprietary disposables, or adhesive-coated glass slides. The method is inexpensive and can be performed in a timely fashion, not impacting laboratory turnaround times or requiring the specimen to be processed by other laboratories. It empowers cytology laboratories of any size or level of complexity to make slides from readily available commercial cytology fixatives. It allows the total contents of liquid-based cytology specimen vials to be examined, providing a "cytological method" for quality assuring liquid-based cytology samples.
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