THE BIOPSY, THE CELL BLOCK AND HISTOTECHNOLOGY

Pleural effusion or effusion is a frequent and debilitating complication in cancer patients and immunosuppressed and represent a challenge for diagnosis and treatment. It is estimated that new cases amount to 160,000 per year. The cytological study of pleural fluid (LP) is a mandatory exploration in the analysis of pleural effusion of unknown etiology and the cell block allows complementing the cytological diagnosis by providing the possibility of studying the tissue architecture that is normally lost in cytological samples during the performance of the spread. Research protocols for the study of pleural effusions may include staining for acid fast bacilli (Ziehl Neelsen or equivalent), staining for yeasts and fungi (PAS, Grocott, methenamine silver) and for bacteria (Gram, Giemsa, Warthin Starry). To examine the characteristics of vascular damage the Verhoeff-Van Gieson stains offer very good results.