Abstract: An apparatus and system including an apparatus to identify an identifier on a tissue cassette in an assembly of a plurality of tissue cassettes including a light source operable to illuminate a plurality of tissue cassettes; a sensor operable to automatically capture an identifier on an individual tissue cassette or an image of the plurality of tissue cassettes in the assembly; and where the sensor is operable to capture reflected light from the light source of an image of the plurality of tissue cassettes, a converter to convert image data into an electronic signal. The system may include a processor operable to compare an identifier with a tissue processing protocol. A method including sensing identifiers on tissue cassettes each containing a tissue sample in an assembly comprising a plurality of tissue cassettes; and determining or verifying a tissue processing protocol of a tissue sample based on the sensed identifier.