Internal quality control in histotechnology: a daily and cross-cutting method

Internal quality control (IQC) is compulsory for laboratory certification and accreditation systems. On the subject of histotechnology, the discussion/dissemination of IQC tools would facilitate IQC implementation in routine laboratory practices, and would serve as a challenge to all professionals to develop a daily internal quality control tool in histotechnology (IQCH), cross-cutting grossing, histology, cytology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy areas, in order to prematurely detect any deviations and, if possible, to rectify them immediately. In each laboratory area, verification steps were established (e.g. microtomy), through which deviations were identified and recorded (e.g. wrinkles/folds). In the final step, a cross-cutting classification scale is applied to samples, slides, and/or grids, according to specific area parameters and the potential interpretation impact of the recorded deviations. A qualitative/quantitative evaluation scale was obtained, which allows the ...