Application of scanning electron microscopy to diagnostic pathology. A critical review.

A survey with critical comment of the present state of SEM knowledge is given for those internal organs that are most important for the surgical and anatomical pathologist. With the exception of microanalysis, today SEM does not aid diagnosis by the pathologist because the SEM results are, at present, not certain enough to justify their application to a diagnosis with clinical consequences where the same results can be obtained by the accustomed LM and TEM with their respective adjuvant techniques like histochemistry or immune histology. In the future, SEM will only be established as an essential diagnostic tool when SEM reveals hitherto unknown morphological patterns which can be related to clinical syndromes; some suggestions are made where this can be achieved.