Application of multicolor banding for identification of complex chromosome 18 rearrangements

Multicolor chromosome banding (mBAND) is a recently developed technique that allows the delineation of chromosomal regions with a resolution of a few megabase pairs. The resolution of mBAND is slightly below that of conventional chromosome banding; however, the color bands have a great value in identifying chromosomal abnormalities, particularly complex chromosome rearrangements, and intrachromosome exchanges (ie, inversions, deletions, duplications, and insertions). These abnormalities cannot be defined easily by conventional cytogenetic analysis or chromosome paint. In this report, we present the application of the mBAND analysis for identification of complex intrachromosome rearrangements of chromosome 18 in a child with dysmorphic features.