Detection of numerical chromosome aberrations in brain tumours by fluorescence in situ hybridization on smear preparations of small tumour biopsies.

We present a technique for the preparation and interphase cytogenetic analysis of native tumour cell nuclei from smear preparations of small biopsies of human brain tumours. The presence of tumour-specific numerical chromosome aberrations can be determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using chromosome-specific repetitive DNA probes. The FISH analysis of smear preparations provides cytogenetic information about brain tumour samples, within 2 days, avoiding time-consuming and artefact-prone tumour cell culture.