Abstract

We here report on the first neuropathological round robin trials initiated by the Quality Assurance Initiative Pathology (QuIP) in Germany in the years 2018 and 2019. Testing services as external laboratory controls were offered for IDH1-R132H immunohistochemistry in 2018 followed by a molecular trial for IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in 2019 including the rare mutational variants. Also in 2019, a trial on MGMT promoter methylation testing was offered. On a national scale, trial offers were well received with around 40 participating institutions. The international announcement of the molecular IDH1/IDH2 mutational trial achieved only moderate European outspread. Success rates in all three trials were excellent (IDH1-R132H immunohistochemistry 2018: 94%, 18 out of 20 possible points required; IDH1/IDH2 mutational status 2019: 100%, 19 out of 20 possible points required; MGMT promoter methylation 2019: 94%, 19 out of 20 possible points required) indicating that quality standards are high in the broad majority of the institutions. Trial participation also involved filling in a questionnaire asking for background information on local testing procedures. We here present a first assessment of the information collected providing unique insights in the landscape of molecular testing in neuropathology. Derived from this information we identify future challenges and provide an outlook on the development of quality assurance in the field of neuropathology.

*Both authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Author Details

Authors

• Markus J. Riemenschneider¹
• Josephine Fischer²
• Maja Grassow-Narlik²
• Christian Mawrin³
• Andreas von Deimling⁴
• Torsten Pietsch⁵
• Guido Reifenberger⁶
• Wolf C. Mueller⁷
• Clemens J. Sommer⁸
• Manfred Dietel²
• Saida Zoubaa¹
• Julia Lorenz¹*
• Tanja Rothhammer-Hampl¹*

Departments

• ¹ Department of Neuropathology, Regensburg University Hospital, Regensburg,
• ² Quality Assurance Initiative Pathology (QuIP) GmbH, Berlin,
• ³ Institute of Neuropathology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg,
• ⁴ Department of Neuropathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, and CCU Neuropathology, DKFZ, Heidelberg,
• ⁵ Department of Neuropathology & DGNN Brain Tumor Reference Center, University of Bonn Medical Center, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases of the Helmholtz Association, Bonn,
• ⁶ Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf,
• ⁷ Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, and
• ⁸ Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

Address

Markus J. Riemenschneider, MD
Department of Neuropathology
Regensburg University Hospital
Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11
93053 Regensburg, Germany
Email: [email protected]

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