Assessment of modified Gallego’s iron fuchsin and methylene blue-acid fuchsin stain in characterizing hard tissue components in calcified lesions

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain, the routine histological staining method, might not accurately represent the composition and properties of hard tissues. This limitation necessitates the use of advanced diagnostic methods. Methylene blue-acid fuchsin (MB-AF) and modified Gallego's iron fuchsin (MG) stains are useful for differentially staining hard tissues, such as teeth, bone, and pathological calcifications. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of MG and MB-AF stains in lesions composed of calcified tissues. A total of 30 histopathologically confirmed cases of various lesions composed of calcified tissue, including compound odontoma (6), ossifying fibroma (6), osteosarcoma (6), osteomyelitis (6), and fibrous dysplasia (6), were chosen. Each lesion had three sections stained with MB-AF, MG, and H&E. Wilcoxon signed rank test was employed for statistical analysis. Dentin, cementum, and bone showed light green, red, and deep green hues, respectively, when stained with modified Gallego's stain. A statistically superior intensity and contrast (<i>p</i> < 0.05) was observed in the MG-stained sections as compared to those stained with MB-AF. MG stain demonstrates superior potential as a special stain for calcifications compared to MB-AF, particularly in terms of the contrast between hard tissues and the surrounding stroma in lesions composed of calcified tissue.