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Table 3 The 7 crucial steps of a stereological study of the lung

From: A short primer on lung stereology

Step

Points to consider

1. Planning your stereological study

Pilot study

Target compartment

Stereological parameters

Sampling and analysis design

2. Preparation of lung tissue

Route of fixation

Composition of fixative

Post-fixation and processing

Dehydration and embedding

3. Definition and measurement of the reference space

Fixed lung volume:

 -Archimedes principle

 -Cavalieri estimator

4. Sampling

Randomization of location:

 -Systematic uniform random sampling

 -Cascade sampling

 -Stratified sampling

 -Fractionator sampling

Randomization of spatial orientation:

 -Isotropic uniform random sections

 -Vertical sections

5. Doing the measurements

Dimension of stereological parameter of interest

Dimension of geometric probe (test system)

Disector for number estimation

6. How many counts are enough?

Accuracy

Precision

Coefficient of error

7. Reporting your methods and results

Total values

Ratios and inverse of ratios

Scatter plots

Standard deviation

  1. This table summarizes the crucial steps involved in a typical stereological study of the lung and the way this primer is organized. Points to consider at each of these 7 steps are covered in the text. Stereological terms are explained in Table 2