Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Microarray Analysis Improves Prenatal Diagnosis

microarray analysis
ScienceDaily (Nov. 17, 2008) — A "chip" or array that can quickly detect disorders such as Down syndrome or other diseases associated with chromosomal abnormalities proved an effective tool in prenatal diagnosis in a series of 300 cases at Baylor College of Medicine, according to an article in the journal Prenatal Diagnosis.

In the report, a team led by Dr. Arthur Beaudet and Dr. Sau Wai Cheung at BCM, described use of array comparative genomic hybridization to analyze samples taken during amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling for chromosomal abnormalities. Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling allow researchers to obtain fetal cells for testing.

"Larger studies of this test will help us decide whether it should be used as a first line measure to detect chromosome abnormalities in fetuses," said Beaudet, chair of molecular and human genetics at BCM and senior author of the report. "They will also enable us to determine whether such testing should be offered more widely to pregnant women."

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