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qPCR Is a Sensitive and Rapid Method for Detection of Cytomegaloviral DNA in Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Biopsy Tissue
Published on: July 9, 2014
Molecular confirmation of pathological specimen integrity in Australasia
Christopher G Bell1, Daniel R Wood, Sarah J H Cheong
1Sonic Clinical Institute, Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Sydney, NSW, Australia. christopher.bell@cancer.ucl.ac.uk
Aim:
Investigations into 14 suspected pathology sample identification errors and mix-ups were performed, as a service for several public hospital and private laboratories, from 2005 to 2007.
Methods:
Analyses were performed with the forensic ABI Identifiler kit of 16 microsatellites (15 autosomal and amelogenin) on DNA from paraffin-embedded tissues or blood specimens and compared to independently verified (single or multiple) patient samples.
Results:
Of 23 unique patient specimens referred for sample integrity confirmation because of pathologist, clinician or patient concern, six (26.1%) were demonstrated to be discordant, indicating that specimen identification errors or mix-ups had occurred.
Conclusions:
Due to their great sensitivity and high discrimination power, forensic identity multiplex systems using either microsatellites or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can resolve concerns about pathology specimen identity and integrity.
