Microwave fixation provides rapid, primary fixation for light and electron microscopy and for immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry.

A relatively new approach to specimen preservation for morphologic studies uses microwave energy and chemicals. Microwave fixation can produce fixation results equal in quality to chemical fixation methods and equal in speed to freeze fixation methods. The importance of this microwave fixation technology lies in its potential to provide a standardized fixation approach in histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and immunocytochemistry.