Overview of Automated Immunohistochemistry

Context.-The increasing demand for immunohistochemistry for clinical diagnostics, in combination with an ongoing shortage of staff in the histology laboratory, has brought about a need for automation in immunohistochemistry. The current automated staining platforms vary significantly in their design and capabilities. Objective.-To review how technology has been applied to automating the process of immunohistochemical staining. Data Sources.-Literature review, vendor interviews, and personal practice experience. Conclusions.-Each of the commercially available, automated immunohistochemistry platforms has strategic design differences that produce advantages and disadvantages. Understanding those differences can helpmatch the demands of testing volumes, turnaround time, standardization, and labor savings to the appropriate automated instrumentation.