Uniform Labeling of Blocks and Slides in Surgical Pathology: Guideline From the College of American Pathologists Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center and the National Society for Histotechnology.

Context: The labeling of paraffin blocks and microscopic glass slides in the practice of surgical pathology varies from institution to institution and introduces potential risk of preanalytic error. Currently there are no evidence-based guidelines regarding the uniform labeling of these materials.

Objective: To develop recommendations that will address the need for adequate patient identification and provide a consistent method of identifying slides originating from a particular block.