The term special stains has long been used to refer to a large number of alternative staining techniques that are utilized when the routine H&E stain does not provide all of the necessary information to a pathologist for an informed diagnosis.

Immunohistochemistry is the process of using antibodies to detect the presence, abundance, and localization of specific proteins. This technique is critical in distinguishing between disorders with similar morphology, as well as characterizing the molecular properties of certain cancers.

Immunofluorescence is a technique used for light microscopy with a fluorescence microscope and is used primarily on microbiological samples. This technique uses the specificity of antibodies to their antigen to target fluorescent dyes to specific targets within a cell, therefore allowing for the visualization of the distribution of the target molecule throughout the sample.

Listed below are the various staining options currently offered at Pacific Rim Pathology.