Applied principles of quality assurance and quality control in the histopathology laboratory.

The principles of quality assurance programs and quality control procedures as they are applied to the histopathology section of the laboratory are reviewed. The basic importance of the Standard Operating Procedure Manual is emphasized and the importance of accurate record keeping in tissue reception and accessioning is noted. A detailed look is taken at the quality control measures applied to the repetitive processing sequences involved in the production of stained tissue slides. The problems of the subjective nature of the final assessment of the finished slide are reviewed.