Molecular Genetic Testing in Surgical Pathology

Book excerpt: Written by experts from Washington University School of Medicine, this text is a thorough review of the specific molecular genetic techniques that can provide diagnostically useful molecular genetic information on tissue samples—including cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), PCR, electrophoresis and hybridization analysis, DNA sequence analysis, and microarrays. The first part of the book describes each technique, indicates its advantages, disadvantages, capabilities, and limitations, and systematically addresses sensitivity and specificity issues. Subsequent chapters, organized by organ system, detail the specific applications of these tests in surgical pathology. More than 150 full-color and black-and-white illustrations complement the text.