title: Immunohistochemical progesterone receptor assay. Measurement by image analysis.
abstract: To determine the efficiency of image analysis in immunohistochemical progesterone receptor (PgR) measurement, 94 primary breast carcinoma tissue samples were evaluated for PgR by biochemical dextran-coated charcoal assay (DCC) and an immunohistochemical method. Frozen sections immunostained for PgR with a monoclonal antibody (Abbott PgR-ICA, Chicago, IL) and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique were scored semiquantitatively histologic score by microscopy and quantitatively (percentage nuclear area immunopositivity [PNA] using the CAS 200 image analyzer (Cell Analysis Systems, Elmhurst, IL). There was a positive correlation between dextran-coated charcoal assay and both histologic score (r = 0.82) and PNA (r = 0.69). Selected cutoff points of 60 histologic score and 6.5% PNA based on sensitivity/specificity calculations yielded a predictive value of a negative test of 73% and 80%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 100% for both; ranges of fmol/mg protein PgR correspond to ranges of histologic score and PNA. The use of an image analyzer to measure PNA in PgR-immunostained sections is a viable alternative to dextran-coated charcoal assay, especially when insufficient fresh tissue is available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: el-Badawy
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Derose
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Check
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sgoutas
mesh_terms: D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D002606:Charcoal; D003911:Dextrans; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D002606:Charcoal