MR microscopy of formalin fixed paraffin embedded histology specimens. Issue 6 (8th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Macura, Slobodan; Mishra, Prasanna K.; Gamez, Jeffrey D.; Pirko, Istvan
• Is Part Of: Magnetic resonance in medicine. Volume 71:Issue 6(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 1989
• Page End: 1994
• Publication Date: 2014-04-08
• Subjects: Nuclear magnetic resonance -- Periodicals; Electron paramagnetic resonance -- Periodicals; 616.07548
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.25225
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0740-3194

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="mrm25225-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Purpose</title> <p>Archived formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tissue collections represent a valuable informational resource for numerous studies. However, there is no NMR signal from FFPE specimens at room temperature. To obtain MR images and enable comparison of magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) and histology studies we propose to image FFPE tissue at elevated temperature.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm25225-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A FFPE tissue block was imaged at 7 Tesla (T) and 16.4T at 70–80°C using T<sub>2</sub>‐weighting methods. The only difference from standard MR microscopy (MRM) is elevated temperature at which the embedding medium melts.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm25225-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Using FFPE murine brain tissue, we were able to demonstrate the feasibility of tissue MRM from paraffin embedded specimens. Histology images taken from the specimen after MRM demonstrate that keeping the FFPE specimen in paraffin melt at 70–80°C for dozens of hours does not affect subsequent histology analysis.</p> </sec> <sec id="mrm25225-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>MRM of FFPE tissue from paraffin melt opens new avenues for analyzing archived histological specimens (biopsies, post mortem, etc.) and for correlating MR images with histology (optical microscopy). In addition, 3D MRM of FFPE specimens could guide histology in search for appropriate regions of interest and subsequently minimize occurrences of false negatives in tissue analysis. Magn Reson Med 71:1989–1994, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>