Histological Artifacts · Histology

Which artifact is characterized by a blue haze or 'smudging' of the nuclear detail?

  1. Incomplete or poor deparaffinization
  2. Over-exposure to eosin
  3. Heat artifact from electrocautery
  4. Short duration in xylene
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Correct answer: Heat artifact from electrocautery

Electrocautery used during surgery 'cooks' the tissue, causing thermal denaturation of proteins. This results in dark, smudged nuclei that lack distinct chromatin patterns, often seen at the biopsy edges.

Difficulty: Medium Question 16 of 20

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