Demonstration of a gastric bioptic specimen mix-up by laser capture microdissection (LCM) and DNA fingerprinting.
We demonstrate here the successful use of laser capture microdissection (LCM) and DNA fingerprinting in the identification of a case of gastric bioptic specimen mix-up. A 70-year-old man, suffering from chronic atrophic gastritis, underwent to a gastric biopsy and received a diagnosis of gastric cancer. In the absence of any clinical evidence of gastric cancer, a specimen mix-up was suspected. LCM was used to retrieve gastric cells from the histologic slide, classified as gastric carcinoma, and suspected to be mislabelled. DNA was extracted from microdissected cells, and a total of 16 different genetic loci were analyzed, using an identity test. Comparison of the results with those obtained using DNA extracted from a control slide, and from patient's saliva, demonstrated a distinct DNA fingerprint pattern in all genetic markers examined, clearly indicating the occurrence of a specimen mix-up. The combined use of LCM and DNA fingerprinting represents the most accurate and sophisticated method available for the identification of specimen mix-up, especially when only the tissue on the suspected slide is available.
Vecchiotti
Carla
C
Institute of Legal Medicine, Università La Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena, 336 00161 Rome, Italy. carlavecchiotti@tiscali.it
Spaltro
Giovanna
G
Bloise
Donatella
D
Brunetti
Ercole
E
Sciacchitano
Salvatore
S
D000368:Aged; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D042282:Microdissection / Q000379:methods*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences
D005819:Genetic Markers