Status and Prospects of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Automation-A Survey among Laboratory Directors and Their Designates

As a clinical diagnostic technique, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is simple, reliable, cost-effective and widely applicable. Due to technology advances, automation systems are adapted in FISH in different ways, involving all and/or some of the following procedural steps: sample processing, probe distribution, hybridization, post-wash, result analysis and/or final report preparation. To better understand the status and prospective of FISH automation, a survey has been recently performed among Cytogenetic Laboratory Directors and/or their designated Laboratory Managers, Supervisors or certified Cytogenetic Technologists. We present here the preliminary analysis of this survey, to advocate more discussion about standardization of the FISH automation as well as implementation of FISH automation as part of educational programs for Cytogenetic Technologists.