Electron Microscopy

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Contents

  1. Overview of service
  2. Opening hours
  3. Repertoire
  4. Tissue sampling specifications
  5. Specimen packaging and transport
  6. Specimen acceptance criteria
  7. Examination processes
  8. Post-examination processes
  9. Staffing, enquiries and complaints

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) Cellular Pathology Electron Microscopy (EM) Service is situated on the Ground Floor of Clinical Sciences Building 1 at Manchester Royal Infirmary and has formed part of the Cellular Pathology Adult Histopathology Service for over 50 years.

We provide an adult and paediatric diagnostic transmission electron microscopy service for MFT and for several external Trusts nationwide.

The service is well-equipped with modern equipment that includes a JEOL JEM-1400 transmission electron microscope and other high-end, specialist equipment ultramicrotomes to enable optimum sample preparation. A close team of 2.5 WTE (whole-time equivalent) skilled & experienced Biomedical Scientist (BMS) staff and a 0.5 WTE Medical Laboratory Assistant work permanently within the Unit to provide a high quality EM service with the additional support of a rotating BMS form a pool of staff members who rotate into all areas of Adult Histopathology. Together, the team process around 500 samples per year.

We participate in a dedicated international EM external quality assurance scheme; performing well, to date, without exception and have a well-established, comprehensive quality management system in place. As part of the MFT Cellular Pathology Department, The EM unit is accredited to ISO 15189: 2012.

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Opening hours

The Unit is open and staffed from 08:00 – 17:30 Monday to Friday (except bank holidays). Samples sent via courier/postal service should be sent to arrive within these hours to minimise the risk of undelivered or misplaced samples.

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Repertoire

Renal Pathology is the mainstay of Electron Microscopy at MFT. More than 95% of the samples handled are renal and the Unit holds primary expertise in this area of diagnostic ultrastructural pathology. The MFT Histopathology Consultant Specialist Renal Pathologists work closely with the EM Team.

The remaining workload comprises the following specimen types:

  • Muscle samples
  • Duodenal samples for microvillous inclusion disease and tufting enteropathy
  • Ophthalmic samples

Top (Last reviewed August 2024)

Next: Tissue sampling specifications