Table 2.
Advantages |
Can be performed on metaphase or interphase cell preparations (fresh, frozen, or paraffin-embedded material) |
Can localize anomaly in specific cells or tissue types |
Can provide results when tissue is insufficient or unsatisfactory for cytogenetic analysis, when conventional cytogenetics has failed to yield results, or when cryptic rearrangements are present |
Diagnostically useful. Sensitive and specific |
Rapid turn-around time |
Limitations |
More targeted approach; not screening tool (generally requires prior knowledge of anomaly of interest) |
Exceptions are CGH and SKY |
Still a relatively gross approach when contrasting other molecular approaches capable of detecting single base mutations |
Number of commercially available probes is limited |
Requires fluorescence microscopy (signal fading) |
Interpretation may be challenging when analyzing suboptimal specimens (i.e., background fluorescence or autofluorescence, particularly with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material) |
FISH nomenclature not consistent among laboratories |
CGH, comparative genomic hybridization; SKY, spectral karyotyping