The utility of azan trichrome staining in Ameloblastoma

Background: It is occasionally difficult to distinguish the stellate reticulum-like region of ameloblastoma from the fibrous connective tissue stroma. This difficulty is further pronounced in the plexiform variant of ameloblastoma that has very sparse fibrous connective tissue. Aim: To test the utility of Azan trichrome stain in marking tumour regions and the peri-tumour environment of ameloblastoma. Materials and Methods: Sections were prepared for 18 formalin fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of ameloblastoma cases and stained with Azan trichrome stain according to the manufacturer's specification. Results and Conclusions: The tumour areas were stained mostly brown, with the ameloblasts mainly marked as deep brown while the stellate reticulum-like region was light brown. The structures in the peri-tumour region were marked with different shades of blue. Azan trichrome staining was able to distinguish between the fibrous connective tissue and the stellate reticulum-like areas in 100% of the cases.