Patent ID: 7767434

Claim:
A system for fixing tissue samples, comprising: a reaction chamber including a solution selected from the group consisting of a fixative, alcohol, xylene and paraffin for immersing a tissue sample therein; an ultrasound transducer, immersed in said solution, to irradiate the tissue sample, immersed in said solution, with ultrasound energy, wherein said ultrasound transducer is within 2 inches of said tissue sample; an ultrasound generator, coupled to the ultrasound transducer, to generate the ultrasound energy; at least one sensor, immersed in the solution, to monitor at least one of a physical parameter of the tissue sample and the ultrasound energy selected from the group consisting of temperature, size, tissue type, tissue density, ultrasound frequency, and ultrasound intensity; and a central processing unit, coupled to the ultrasound generator and the sensor, programmed to control the ultrasound generator and to adjust at least one of a frequency between 100 kHz and 50 MHz and an intensity between 0.01 and 200 W/cm2 of the ultrasound energy that is applied to the tissue sample in response to a signal received from the sensor, in order to fix the tissue sample in the solution with no or minimal damage.