FISH studies offer the opportunity to supplement standard
banded karyotyping by detecting abnormalities in interphase
nuclei and clarifying cryptic or complex abnormalities. FISH
studies also have limitations, however.18,19 That there are
many common genetic abnormalities in MDS/AML requires
that multiple FISH probes be scored, leading to increased
technologist time and expense. Furthermore, abnormalities
that are not specifically targeted by the probes in the panel
will remain undetectable if FISH studies are the only mode
of analysis. Although several relatively small prior studies3-12
have compared FISH with metaphase cytogenetics in MDS,
results are conflicting, and the most cost- and labor-efficient
use of FISH as a supplement to metaphase cytogenetics
remains uncertain.