Abstract
Congo red stain is the gold standard for detection of amyloid. This is facilitated by examination of sections thicker than usual. A simple and convenient method is that described by Stokes. Between crossed polariser and analyser, the red colour of amyloid stained by Congo red is changed to a variety of other colours, called anomalous colours. These can be explained by the principles of optical physics. Although only green is usually reported, combinations such as blue/green and yellow/green are commonly seen. Other combinations of anomalous colours appear when the polariser and analyser are progressively uncrossed. These features are characteristic of amyloid stained by Congo red, although they are not specific, but other materials in sections that may give these findings, such as cellulose, can usually be distinguished in other ways.
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Howie, A.J. (2012). Diagnosis of Amyloid Using Congo Red. In: Picken MD, PhD, FASN, M., Dogan, M.D., Ph.D., A., Herrera, M.D., G. (eds) Amyloid and Related Disorders. Current Clinical Pathology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-389-3_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-389-3_12
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