The use of a desktop scanning electron microscope as a diagnostic tool in studying fibrin networks of thrombo-embolic ischemic stroke.

Proneness to the formation of tight and rigid fibrin networks has been shown to be independently associated with thrombotic disease. These changes may be visible long before the actual event. Previous research has shown that there is a fundamental difference between fibrin network architecture of controls compared to fibrin networks of patients 48?h post-thrombo-embolic ischemic stroke. This conclusion was made using a high-tech scanning electron microscope (SEM). Here the authors investigate whether ultrastructure of these networks can be successfully analyzed when using a smaller, desktop SEM. Such a screening procedure would not only be inexpensive, but could potentially warn patients of a possible thrombotic event long before any symptoms are prevalent. Platelet-rich plasma, obtained from healthy volunteers and thrombo-embolic ischemic stroke patients (48 h poststroke), was activated by the addition of thrombin. Fibrin networks were compared using a Zeiss ULTRA plus FEG-SEM with InLens and a desktop portable ZEOL SEM (ZEOLNeoScope). This desktop version produces micrographs that may easily be analyzed, and the information gained by studying the micrographs was comparable to that of the Zeiss ULTRA plus FEG-SEM. Such a desktop machine might be used as a screening tool or to identify individuals with risk, before the actual event. In addition, it may provide valuable information in recovering stroke patients.