Definitions for "Cassettes"
Each slice is put into a little basket which is labeled A1, A2. The tissue in the baskets are then dehydrated and fixed in parafin (wax) and the block of wax is removed from the cassette or basket. They are then sliced very thinly with a microtome which is sort of like a deli meat slicer but smaller. One thin slice from each block of wax is put on a slide and the wax is melted away. The tissue on the slide is then stained and looked at under the microscope. This means that there is usually one slide per block or cassette labelled A1-A20. As you can see all of the tissue in not actually sampled, only a representative piece from each slice. This is important when they say something is extensive. They can‰t say that it is extensive in the breast or even in the piece of breast tissue that was removed, only that it was extensive in the pieces they got to look at. back to pathology report