When might you need to photograph specimens? 

• Objective record
• Research (i.e. comparative studies)
• Teaching
• Publication /Exhibition/Poster display
• Archival interest
• Adjunct to museum specimens or instead of a museum specimen
• For biology, school, university, laboratories, veterinary practice

Objective:

To produce an accurate and well documented record.

N.B. Essential to have patient details and a fully documented record card.

Sources of specimens

• Operating theatre
• Post-mortem room
• Pathology department
• Day surgery unit/clinics
• Research laboratories

At the time of the request it is necessary to consider the following points:

1. Origin of the specimen
2. Anatomical orientation
3. Is the specimen infectious?
4. If it is fixed is further histology required?
5. If it is fresh is histology required?
6. Where is it to go next?
7. If it is fixed and the colour can be improved or will this damage the specimen?

Health and safety

The fixative formaldehyde, also called formalin, is a nasal irritant.

Are specimens infectious?

1. ALL specimens should be considered to be infectious unless known to be safe.
2. Wear protective clothing whilst working with specimens e.g. gloves, mask, apron or gown.
3. Keep specimens away from patient and administrative areas to prevent cross infection. Warn other staff members.
4. Use antiseptic solutions to cleanse site after photography.
5. Spray onto cloth, then wipe surface.
6. Sterilize all instruments used after photography or use disposable instruments e.g. plastic forceps.

Handling fresh specimens

• Avoid allowing the specimen to dehydrate under the lights and in the air.
• Speed of work is essential.
• Refrigerate specimen while waiting to photograph.
• Liaise closely with doctor, pathologist or researcher.
• Blood and fluid etc. will form a halo around the specimen. Either remove with a paper towel or gauze, under the specimen as well, then dispose of in orange contaminated waste bags.

Tip - It may be necessary with very fragile specimens to photograph them under water especially small brains from experimental animals and eyes (Kennedy LA 1984). Don't forget this will also affect the magnification as water has a different refractive index than air.

Fixed specimens

These will have lost their natural colour. It is possible to return some colour using 95% alcohol but this can take from 30 minutes to 6 hours.

Tip - If your specimen is very wet from the fixative and you are using a green surgical towel as a background wet the towel completely with sterile water so it appears as all one colour rather than a dry towel with spots of darker areas everywhere.