thermal artifact

thermal artifact

distortion of microscopic structure in a tissue specimen, because of heat generated by the instrument (for example, loop electrocautery) used to obtain the specimen.

ther·mal ar·ti·fact

(thĕr'măl ahr'ti-fakt) Distortion of microscopic structure in a tissue specimen, because of heat generated by the instrument (e.g., loop electrocautery) used to obtain the specimen.