Electron Microscopy in Veterans Administration Hospitals: Planning, Distribution, and Control Need Improvement

The electron microscope (EM) is a device which produces highly magnified images used in clinical diagnostic applications to examine the microstructure of thin sections of biological tissue. Individual EM's in Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals have cost up to $82,000, and a complete EM unit, including remodeled facilities, purchase and installation, darkroom, and photographic equipment and supplies may cost from $150,000 to $200,000. EM activities were reviewed at 15 VA hospitals in 8 of the 28 VA medical districts.