Which of the following is a stain for heart failure cells?: (A) PAS, (B) Prussian blue, (C) Sudan black, (D) Oil red
Answer is B. Heart failure cells, also called siderophages, are hemosiderin-containing macrophages in the alveoli of lung and these cell denote previous episodes of pulmonary edema due to left-sided heart failure.
Hemosiderin is nothing else but stored iron granules.
So, heart failure cells contain iron granules and thus will require a stain that is used for iron.
Stain used for iron is Prussian blue reaction (Perl's iron stain)