# Double Staining Immunohistochemistry and Digital Pathology: Moving Towards Standardization of the Proliferative Index Evaluation in Meningiomas

## TL;DR

This study shows that double staining and digital pathology can improve the accuracy of evaluating the proliferation index in meningiomas, helping standardize tumor grading.

## Contribution

The study introduces a standardized method using double staining immunohistochemistry and digital pathology for meningioma proliferation index evaluation.

## Key findings

- Ki-67 expression varied by meningioma grade, with digital image analysis showing high agreement with manual assessments.
- Double staining immunohistochemistry improved accuracy in evaluating diagnostic and proliferative markers in tumor samples.

## Abstract

Background: Although Ki-67 is not included among the grading criteria in the current WHO Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS), it provides valuable, albeit limited, prognostic information. Immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 can reveal uneven proliferation patterns and assist in the assessment of mitotic counts. Several studies indicate that meningiomas with a proliferation index > 4% show recurrence rates comparable to CNS WHO grade 2 (atypical) tumors, while tumors with an index > 20% are associated with mortality rates similar to CNS WHO grade 3 (anaplastic) meningiomas. Issues related to Ki-67 assessment include interobserver variability, the use of different cut-off values among pathologists, and the presence of a complex inflammatory tumour microenvironment, which may lead to an overestimation of the proliferative index (PI). Methods: In this study, we describe how Double Staining Immunohistochemistry (dIHC) with EMA/Ki-67 better highlights neoplastic meningothelial cells compared with single-stain evaluation. Furthermore, the application of Digital Pathology provides quantitative digital data that allow a more accurate assessment of proliferation. Results: Ki-67 expression varied by grade, with digital image analysis (dIHC) showing high agreement with manual assessments. dIHC improved accuracy in evaluating diagnostic and proliferative markers within tumor samples. Conclusions: dIHC combined with DP can support and standardize the evaluation of the proliferative index in meningiomas in routine diagnostic practice.