Calibrating and standardizing microwave ovens for microwave- accelerated specimen preparation

Calibration techniques are necessary to understand and control microwave ovens for microwave-accelerated laboratory procedures. Recent tools developed for calibrating and standardizing microwave ovens for reproducible specimen preparation include an Agar-Saline-Giemsa (ASG) model, a Neon Bulb Array and a Slide Calibration Set. Using the Neon Bulb Array and the ASG model, we show that the uniformity of microwave fixation and embedding depends on reproducible sample location in a microwave oven. A slide calibration set utilizes liquid crystal temperature strips to predict the temperature of staining and antigen retrieval solutions around tissue sections on glass slides. Fabrication and use of these tools for fixation, resin curing and staining are described.