Block & slide archiving — find, retain and retrieve every block and slide with confidence.
A practical answer to histology block and slide archiving: a digital archive register in the Unimeditrek LIS that records every paraffin block, stained slide, wet specimen and document with its storage location, retention period and full chain of custody — so retrieval is instant, retention is provable and disposal is controlled. Made in India, with installation, training and service.
Get price & configuration See the LIS Archive → Archiving SOP
From storage to disposal — every step recorded
The same barcoded case → cassette → block → slide chain that runs your lab carries through to the archive, so nothing is lost between the bench and the store.
What good block & slide archiving gives your lab
Find any block or slide in seconds
A block or slide you can’t locate is as good as lost. Every item is recorded with its exact storage location, so retrieval for review, second opinion or medico-legal request takes seconds, not an afternoon.
Retention you can prove
Blocks and slides carry a retention period and a retain-until date. Nothing is discarded before its time, and you can show an assessor a clean, dated retention register.
Controlled, audited disposal
Disposal is blocked until retention has passed and limited to senior staff — every store, retrieve, return and dispose action is logged and auditable.
Wet specimens & documents too
Not just blocks and slides — wet specimens, request forms and reports are archived with their own retention and location, in one register.
Typical retention — configurable to your policy
These are common reference periods; the actual retention is set by your accreditation body and institutional policy. The system enforces whatever you configure and blocks early disposal.
| Item | Typical retention | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paraffin blocks | 10 years (typical) | Long-term diagnostic & medico-legal reference |
| Stained slides | 10 years (typical) | Review, second opinion, teaching |
| Reports & request forms | 5 years (typical) | Documentation & audit |
| Wet (gross) specimens | Per lab policy | Short retention after reporting |
The Unimeditrek answer to archiving
LIS Archive module
A digital register for blocks, slides, wet specimens and documents — location hierarchy, retention policy, retrieve / return / dispose, and a “missing” flag. Part of the histopathology LIS.
Barcoded chain of custody
Every case, cassette, block and slide carries its own barcode, so an archived item is scanned to its exact location and its full history is one lookup away.
Retention SOP & guidance
A ready archiving & retention SOP template to standardise how your lab stores, retains and disposes of blocks and slides.
Set up block & slide archiving for your lab
Tell us your archive size and retention policy — we’ll configure the LIS Archive module and send you a price and configuration.
Common questions on archiving
How long should paraffin blocks and slides be archived in India?
Common practice is to retain paraffin blocks and stained slides for around 10 years and paperwork for about 5 years, but the exact period is set by your accreditation body (e.g. NABL) and institutional/medico-legal policy. The system lets you configure the retention period per item type and enforces it before disposal — your laboratory decides the actual policy.
What’s the difference between physical storage and an archiving system?
Physical cabinets store the glass and wax; an archiving system tracks WHERE each block/slide is, WHEN it can be disposed, and WHO moved it. Unimeditrek’s LIS Archive module gives you that digital register and chain of custody on top of your physical storage — so items are findable, retention is provable and disposal is controlled.
Can we retrieve an old case quickly for a second opinion or court request?
Yes. Scan or search the case, block or slide and the system shows its storage location and full history. Retrieval is logged, and the item is marked “out” until returned, so nothing goes missing.
How does archiving connect to the rest of our workflow?
It’s part of the Unimeditrek Histopathology LIS: the same barcoded case → cassette → block → slide chain that runs your daily workflow carries through to archiving, so every item is accounted for from receipt to disposal.