Abstract: G banding karyotype is a routine technique in cytogenetic work. However， this analysis fails to detect small or complex chromosome aberration. Spectral karyotyping（SKY） is a 24-color，multi-chromosomal painting assay that allows the visualization of all human chromosomes in one experiment. The ability for SKY analysis to detect equivocal or complex chromosomal rearrangements，as well as identify the chromosomal origins of marker chromosomes and other unknown derivative chromosomes structures， makes this a benefit supplementary tool to the standard cytogenetic techniques. Recently，combined with G banding and FISH，SKY has been applied to identifying the complex chromosome aberration and the origin of marker chromosme. SKY is also applied to detecting oocyte aneuploidy.This review aims to summarize the application of SKY in cytogenetics.

Key words: Spectral karyotyping, Chromosome aberrations, Genetic markers, Translocation, genetic, Chromosome banding