Diagnostic immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a rapidly changing field. Automated stainers have improved the quality and consistency of IHC stains and at the same time, made troubleshooting and improving the suboptimal IHC stain more difficult. Widespread use of the diagnostic needle core biopsy has created a novel set of IHC interpretation issues. Hybridized animal antibodies bring a unique set of advantages and disadvantages to diagnostic IHC. However, advances in technology and practice such as rabbit monoclonal antibodies and diagnostic needle core biopsies have brought new interpretation issues and novel antibody applications uses of applications and issues regarding interpreting and troubleshooting immunohistochemistry.

The format of this course is a series of short lectures pertaining to creating antibody panels for and interpreting IHC stains in small needle core biopsies, advantages and disadvantages of recent commercial antibodies, and troubleshooting for pathologists regarding the most common causes and solutions of suboptimal automated instrument IHC stains. Additionally, registrants will get a questionnaire to fill out prior to the meeting regarding their most troublesome antibody or suboptimal IHC feature/ problem which also includes a short section on the IHC staining procedure being used in their laboratory. The results of returned (anonymous) questionnaires will be synthesized and presented during the course along with the Lectures’ ideas of the most likely causes and possible solutions. This course is designed for practicing and in-training anatomic pathologists.

The objectives of this course are to provide pathologists with an understanding of how the application of statistical variables impacts stain interpretation and its amplification effect in smaller specimens, information regarding some recent antibodies and their potential applications, and provide a troubleshooting approach for pathologists using automated instruments.

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to critically interpret the validity of results of immunohistochemistry studies, understand the differences in how stains should be interpreted between small and large, understand how some of newer antibodies could be applied in their laboratory, and understand the main causes of suboptimal stains using contemporary automated immunostainers.

Registrants will be sent a questionnaire to solicit input of their most common problem antibody or stain appearance. At the course, the issues and antibodies mentioned in the returned (anonymous) questionnaires will be covered and discussed. A syllabus of the power point slides presented in the course will be handed out at the course. The Powerpoint slides pertaining to the information sent-in on the questionnaires by attendees will be included on the post-course CD which will also contain all of the course Powerpoint slide presentations.