Laboratory Microwave Ovens Overview


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Employing microwave technology in your laboratory, especially in Histology labs, is a simple process and will improve your operation on multiple levels. Whether you become an all-microwave lab or add microwave processing for stats, overflow, special stains and/or myriad other applications, you will find this line of laboratory microwaves to be the most efficient and versatile tool in your lab.
Benefits
- Fix, Process, Stain, and Decalcify tissue, in a fraction of the time of any other method or Microwave Processor
- Provide greater throughput than any other Microwave processor on the market for samples up to 3mm
- Reduce reagent use
- Eliminate the need for Xylene in your processing
- Allow a 50% reduction in your use of Xylene and Alcohol for H&E staining
- Open the door to using many safe and environmentally friendly alternative fixatives and clearing agents
- Provide an opportunity to drastically improve the quality of your fatty tissue processing
- Will not reduce slide quality
- Will not damage or degrade specimen antigenicity
- Does not adversely impact IHC or molecular downstream testing
- Speeds up laboratory workflow
Time and Cost Savings
Automation does not necessarily equal speed. Microwaves process tissue far more efficiently and cost-effectively than any other Tissue Processor. These are the fastest Processors on the market.
- Reagent used is directly proportional to the volume of samples being processed
- Xylene Free: use only Alcohols and Paraffin to process tissue with no Xylene clearing steps required
- Process 74 biopsies in < 20 minutes. No other Tissue Processor even comes close.
- Patented Polar Heat Sheets allow ultra-fast Microwave paraffin infiltration


Examples
Fixed Small Biopsies: GI, prostate, cervical material, etc.
Traditional Tissue Processor | |
Solution | Time |
80% alcohol | 20 min |
80% alcohol | 20 min |
95% alcohol | 20 min |
95% alcohol | 20 min |
100% alcohol | 20 min |
100% alcohol | 20 min |
100% alcohol | 20 min |
Xylene | 20 min |
Xylene | 20 min |
Paraffin | 20 min |
Paraffin | 20 min |
TOTAL: | 3 hr. 40 min |
Microwave Tissue Processor | |
Solution | Time |
100% alcohol | 5 min |
Isopropanol | 5 min |
Paraffin | 5 min |
Paraffin | 5 min |
TOTAL: | 16 min |
Routine Specimens 1-3mm thick (with Preserve® Fixation Step)
Traditional Tissue Processor | |
Solution | Time |
Fixative | 2 hr |
95% alcohol | 1 hr |
95% alcohol | 1 hr |
100% alcohol | 1 hr |
100% alcohol | 1 hr |
Xylene | 1 hr |
Xylene | 1 hr |
Paraffin | 1 hr |
Paraffin | 1 hr |
Paraffin | 1 hr |
Paraffin | 20 min |
TOTAL: | 11 hr. 20 min |
Microwave Tissue Processor | ||
Solution | Temp (°C) | Time |
Preserve | 55 | 16 min |
100% alcohol | 67 | 8 min |
Isopropanol | 74 | 8 min |
Paraffin | 74 | 8 min |
Paraffin | 84 | 28 min |
TOTAL: | 68 min |
Applications
Microwave Processors perform the following critical lab functions, all in a fraction of the time required by conventional methods.
- Fixation
- Dehydration
- Infiltration
- Special Stains
- Immunohistochemistry
- Slide Drying
- Antigen Retrieval
- Decalcifications
Protocols
Fontana Masson Staining Timelines
Traditional Staining | |
Solution | Time/Temp |
Nuclear Fast Red | 5 min @ RT |
Silver Nitrate | 1 hr @ 60°C (oven or waterbath) |
Microwave Staining | ||
Solution | Power | Time |
Nuclear Fast Red | High | 30 sec |
Silver Nitrate | High | 45 sec, let stand in hot sol for 10 min |
Masson Trichrome Staining Timelines
Traditional Staining | |
Solution | Time/Temp |
Bouins | 1 hr @ 56°C or overnight @ RT |
Biebrich Scarlet-Acid Fuchsin | 15 min @ RT |
PMA/PTA |
10-15 min @ RT |
Aniline Blue |
10-20 min@ RT |
Microwave Staining | ||
Solution | Power | Time |
Bouins | High | 15 sec, let stand in hot sol for 10 min |
Biebrich Scarlet-Acid Fuchsin | High | 20 sec |
PMA/PTA | High | 20 sec, let stand in hot sol for 2 min |
Aniline Blue | High | 20 sec, let stand in hot sol for 1 min |
Model Comparison
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Model | General Lab Microwave | Staining/General Lab Microwave | EMS-820 Precision Pulsed Microwave | EMS-9000 Precision Pulsed Microwave |
Interior Dimensions (WxHxD) | 14.5x9.25x14.5" 36.8x23.6x36.8cm |
14.5x9.25x14.5" 36.8x23.6x36.8cm |
12.4x12.4x8.07" 31.5x31.5x20.5cm |
14.1x8.75x16.1" 35.8x22.2x40.9cm |
Exterior Dimensions (WxHxD) | 22x13.5x24" 55.8x34.3x60.9cm |
22x13.5x24" 55.9x34.3x60.9cm |
21.6x17.7x13.7" 55x45x35cm |
21.7"x20.5"x25" 55.2x52.1x63.5cm |
Power Level Control | 5 Settings | Dial-in | Programmable | Programmable |
Stored Protocols | 20 | 20 | 40 | 40 |
Active Ventilation System | X | X | X | X |
Power Balance System | X | X | X | X |
CAP/OSHA Compliant | X | X | X | X |
User Safety Interlocks | X | X | X | X |
Sample Safety Interlocks | X | X | ||
Variable Reagent Agitation | X | X | X | |
Fine Temperature Control | X | X | ||
Multi-Step Protocols | X | X | ||
Integral Vacuum Function | X | |||
Multiple Operating Modes | X | |||
Ultra-Rapid Processing | X | |||
Made in the USA | X | X | X | X |