A previous study¹ that compared different methods of orienting cervical biopsies has been extended to determine the optimal method of mounting the sections, cut from these biopsies, on the slide to ensure that they are clearly visible for histological examination under the coverslip.

In this department six levels have traditionally been cut from each cervical biopsy, with two adjacent sections from each level being mounted on either side of the midline along the long axis of the slide. This practice places the sections in close proximity to the edge of the coverslip where they may not be protected if the coverslip moves medially or where they may become obscured if mountant is squeezed from between the slide and the coverslip, and becomes smeared over the edge …