Clinical Laboratory Department, Yokohama Rosai Hospital, Japan.
Fellow Researcher, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan Organization of Occupational Health and Safety (JOHAS), Japan.
Ind Health. 2023 Apr 1;61(2):134-139. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2021-0269. Epub 2023 Feb 17.
The amount of asbestos body (AB) in the human lungs is used as an index to assess asbestos lung cancer (ALC). This study reports a new method to observe the same AB previously observed by analytical transmission electron microscope (ATEM) by phase contrast microscope (PCM) or the contrary order. Four kinds of specimens were prepared from the lung tissue of an asbestos related worker: ordinary PCM specimen (A); PCM specimen (B) of which the cover glass was stripped off and ashed at a low temperature; transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimen (C); and PCM specimen (D) covered a TEM specimen (C) with immersion liquid and cover glass. These specimens were all observed by PCM, and the specimen (C) by analytical TEM (ATEM). The results showed that the TEM specimen (C) is transparent in visible light and we can also see the particles by PCM. The image by PCM of the TEM specimen (C) showed very similar features to that of PCM specimens (A) and (B). Accordingly, we could observe various same particles by both ATEM and PCM. In conclusion, the method observing the same AB by both PCM and ATEM will contribute to standardize the recognition of AB for PCM analysts.
人体肺部中的石棉体（AB）含量被用作评估石棉肺癌（ALC）的指标。本研究报告了一种新的方法，可以通过相差显微镜（PCM）观察到以前通过分析型透射电子显微镜（ATEM）观察到的相同 AB，也可以按相反的顺序进行观察。从一名与石棉有关的工人的肺组织中制备了四种标本：普通 PCM 标本（A）；将盖玻片剥离并在低温下灰化的 PCM 标本（B）；透射电子显微镜（TEM）标本（C）；以及用浸液和盖玻片覆盖 TEM 标本（C）的 PCM 标本（D）。所有这些标本都通过 PCM 进行了观察，而标本（C）则通过分析型 TEM（ATEM）进行了观察。结果表明，TEM 标本（C）在可见光下是透明的，我们也可以通过 PCM 看到颗粒。TEM 标本（C）的 PCM 图像与 PCM 标本（A）和（B）的图像非常相似。因此，我们可以通过 ATEM 和 PCM 观察到各种相同的颗粒。总之，通过 PCM 和 ATEM 观察相同 AB 的方法将有助于规范 PCM 分析人员对 AB 的识别。
