Molecular confirmation of pathological specimen integrity in Australasia.

Aim: Investigations into 14 suspected pathology sample identification errors and mix-ups were performed, as a service for several public hospital and private laboratories, from 2005 to 2007.

Methods: Analyses were performed with the forensic ABI Identifiler kit of 16 microsatellites (15 autosomal and amelogenin) on DNA from paraffin-embedded tissues or blood specimens and compared to independently verified (single or multiple) patient samples.

Results: Of 23 unique patient specimens referred for sample integrity confirmation because of pathologist, clinician or patient concern, six (26.