• Prostate needle core biopsy specimens are very thin and fragile.  Be careful not to crush them with forceps.  They are also very pale and may be difficult to see.  Check the container walls and lid for fragments.  You may need to stain the cores with dye (not the ink which we use on margins) to make them visible to the histotechnician.
• Count the cores.
• Measure length and diameter of each core.
• Describe the cores (color, irregularity).
• Place the entire specimen in a tissue-processing bag or screened cassette, per lab protocol.

• Submit entirely.
• Request three levels on each block.  Some labs may cut five levels, staining levels 1, 3, and 5 with H&E and leaving 2 and 4 unstained.

Internal use only

Received without fixative/in formalin, labeled _____ and “_____”, are __ (number) white-gray, focally yellow soft tissue cores, measuring __, __, __, and __ cm in length, respectively, and __ cm in diameter each.  Entirely submitted in cassette #__.

__ blocks, __ H&E