An evaluation of elastic tissue staining.

The Special Procedures Laboratory of the Department of Pathology at M.D. Anderson Hospital was concerned with the nationwide shortage of hematoxylin. The amount of this dye required for various staining solutions was calculated to determine thrifty usage. Some solutions required more hematoxylin than was available and prompted the serious investigation of existing techniques and new methods for routine laboratory use. Evaluation of various techniques resulted in a significantly successful modification of Gomori's aldehyde fuchsin technique, which was subsequently adopted as a routine procedure for elastic tissue staining in the Special Procedures Laboratory.