Specialized preparative devices are not needed for liquid-based, thin-layer cytology: An alternate manual method using a metastable alcoholic gel

The blending and use of a metastable alcoholic gel is described. The gel cr eates durable, uniform suspensions of cells and small aggregates of cells. It allows the random, uniform transfer of virtually any liquid-fixed cytolo gy specimens to a glass slide without the use of specialized devices, propr ietary disposables, or adhesive-coated glass slides. The method is inexpens ive and can be performed in a timely fashion, not impacting laboratory turn around times or requiring the specimen to be processed by other laboratorie s. It empowers cytology laboratories of any size or level of complexity to make slides from readily available commercial cytology fixatives. It allows the total contents of liquid-based cytology specimen vials to be examined, providing a "cytological method" for quality assuring liquid-based cytolog y samples. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.