title: The value of immunohistochemistry in increasing diagnostic precision of undifferentiated tumours by the surgical pathologist.
abstract: The availability of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies allows immunohistochemical staining (immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase) procedures to be used by the surgical pathologist, so as to obtain a definite diagnosis in cases where light microscopic examination of tissue sections from biopsy and surgical specimens in inconclusive. Four cases of undifferentiated tumours are described in which only a differential diagnosis could be obtained using light microscopy but a definite diagnosis was achieved when additional information was provided by immunohistochemistry. A scheme is presented for the use of immunohistochemistry to increase diagnostic precision in assessing tumours.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000708:Anaplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D010340:Pathology, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods