Special Stains Test is a lab test performed on a skin sample (biopsy) to determine the health of or the pathology seen in the skin tissue. The test is generally used to confirm that there is a skin disease present. It may also be used to monitor the effects of treatment of the skin disease.
The clinical laboratory uses special stains in the processing of the biopsy, including AFB, PAS and Fte, for the purpose of adding further definition to the histological slide. The goal of the pathologist is to clearly see what is in the sample. There are hundreds of different possible special stains that may be used in this process.
For example the PAS stain is used when the pathologist is looking for intra-cytoplasmic globules. These are globules that are located inside the cytoplasm of the cell.
The use of Special Stains is reserved for the diagnosis of rare health conditions.
Sources:
- https://www.practo.com/tests/biopsy-special-stains-skin-tissue/p
- https://bitesizebio.com/19034/special-stains-for-histology-an-introduction-and-basic-overview/
- https://handouts.uscap.org/AN2015/Companion%20Meeting%20(CM)/CM10-15/Torbenson%20Hans%20Popper%202015_Final%20(1).pdf
Special Stains
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