Calcofluor white, a nonspecific fluorochrome with affinity for chitin and cellulose, can be used alone or with potassium hydroxide (KOH) to sharply delineate fungal elements in clinical specimens. This technique obviates the inaccuracies associated with the reading and interpretation of KOH preparations, is more sensitive than Gram's stain, and is faster to perform than periodic acid-Schiff or Gomori methenamine silver stains.