Dr. David Rimm on Immunofluorescence for HER2 Identification

David Rimm MD, PhD, professor of pathology and medicine, director of pathology tissue services, Yale University School of Medicine, explains the benefits of quantitative immunofluorescence for the measurement of HER2 proteins.

has twice as much dynamic range, and it is more reproducible, says Rimm. The technology makes it easier to match patients with their most effective therapies.

Most immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays, which are traditionally used for the measurement of HER2 proteins, have a 10% to 20% false negative and false positive rate. Quantitative immunofluorescence is more accurate, sensitive,

This practice has not yet caught on with many pathologists yet, but Rimm believes the field will move into that direction once pathologists begin to see its value and it becomes standard practice.