Histopathology Artifacts Quiz

 

ANSWER CASE 17

This micrograph shows a circular deposit adjacent to a section and which contained recognisable squamous cells, cell debris, some bacteria and an amorphous background which stains weakly with haematoxylin. This deposit resulted from someone sneezing close to the section while it was drying on a hotplate. Squamous cell contamination on sections is not uncommon but it usually arises from the fingers or scalp of the microtomist during flotation and less commonly from sneezes or coughs. Give yourself a mark if you correctly identified the contaminant as sneeze artefact. Half a mark if your answer was squamous cell contamination.




 
© Roy C. Ellis 2004