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Digital Pathology is innovation. Digital Pathology make changes to something established (ie. pathology) by introducing new methods, ideas, and products. At USCAP last week there were examples all over the exhibit hall of digital pathology being used with other types of innovation including mobile devices, cloud computing, Software As A Service (SAAS), and methods to improve the pathologists workstation experience.
iPads, iPads, and more iPads!
Nikon Live Remote Viewing
I recently blogged about the iPad trend in healthcare (see post iPad Deployment In Healthcare to Reach 70% In 2011). This trend was reinforced by the number of iPads in use at USCAP. The Information Week article stated that 1/3rd of the 950 respondents listed lab order visualization and results, clinical decision support, and medical image viewing applications as “top priorities” for the use of the iPad in healthcare. All great reasons for digital pathology too!
New Olympus VS800 viewer on an iPad
At USCAP Nikon demonstrated live image sharing (aka telepathology) on an iPad with their digital site camera system, Aperio was showing the mobile site of the Juan Rosai Collection on one, Aurora’s mScope really was “anytime, anywhere” on an iPad, and Olympus was demonstrating the new VS800 software on an iPad too!
WSI’s & more in the Cloud
Aurora's mScope
Software (and/or Storage) As A Service (SAAS) are catching on to help overcome the IT barriers of digital pathology. I blogged on the storage element of this over a year ago (see post SAAS- Cloud 9 For Digital Pathology?) and firmly believe that SAAS has it’s place in healthcare and for digital pathology. At USCAP, several digital pathology providers were showing examples of SAAS with support for cloud based storage and secure web-enabled software solutions to ease the strain on IT. Aurora is “building communication networks” and overcoming IT barriers through their SAAS model; Aperio’s SecondSlide & Ventana’sPathXchange are cloud based; Apollo launched a collaboration with Hitachi to offer their Enterprise Patient Media Manager in the cloud, and Mikroscan offers a cloud based solution through a collaboration with Simagis. Why is this becoming more popular? SAAS solutions are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, do not require installation on a local server or client, can be up and running quickly, and can be rapidly scaled as needed. Another example of SAAS is as an adjunct to a client-based solution. Omnyx developed a web-enabled version of their pathology workstation viewer to work with their client based Pathology workstation software. This will give the pathologist access to cases remotely (home, vacation, etc) and allow for safe, secure sharing of slides outside the hospital network for consultations.
The Pathologist Workstation
The Pathologists workstation experience has become a hot spot of innovation. Barco (see post Diagnostic Color Displays for Digital Pathology) was beta testing software that could improve the “viewing experience” and provide the speed, image quality, and intuitive interaction needed to diagnosis off of a WSI. It was amazing, and they were only using simple input devices bought at Best Buy. The Diagnostic Intelligence and Health Information Technology (DIHIT), a department of CAP STS, were again advocating for and demonstrating their prototype of a pathology diagnostic workstation. Also a few digital pathology manufacturers, like Aperio and 3DHistech, were showing new and/or compatible input devices.
A beta tester at Barco trying out the speed and ease of viewing
Aperio's Innovation Station w/Compatible Input Devices
3DHistech "Microscope like" Input Device
Digital pathology continues to be at the forefront of innovation. It was wonderful to see so many digital pathology solutions leveraging other key innovations!
Look for my final post on Monday, USCAP Part 3: Breaking Down The Barriers Of Digital Pathology.
Five years ago at the United States and Canadian Association of Pathology (USCAP) annual meeting, I was working for one of two slide scanner manufacturers exhibiting in a small booth trying to gain exposure and sell systems. A few years later, there were four or five companies, and this year there were SIXTEEN companies exhibiting digital pathology hardware and/or software solutions. For the small group of people who have been in this industry for a long time, it’s amazing to see how far the field has evolved. Here are a few of my digital pathology highlights from USCAP ’10.
A Step Forward
WG-26 met on March 20th to finalize Supplement 145, Whole Slide Imaging for Pathology, for submission to WG-6 who coordinates all changes to DICOM. On March 25th, WG-6 approved the supplement, and it will go out to letter ballot within the next two weeks for a 49 day voting period. Assuming a successful outcome, DICOM for whole slide images will be finalize this summer. Many thanks to WG-26 for all of their hard work over the past five years as this standard will improve data management, interoperability, and workflow within pathology.
The Bandwagon
Several new companies were at USCAP this year offering digital pathology solutions including Leica, Philips, Motic, CRi and MikroScan Technologies. Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) and middleware companies were highlighting integration with digital pathology companies increasing interoperability for pathology departments. In addition, numerous reference and contract laboratories were demonstrating their use of digital pathology to stay competitive and allow earlier and flexible access to images and their data. Lastly, current market leaders Aperio, Bioimagene, Olympus, and 3DHistech were demonstrating impressive portfolios of hardware, software, and workflow solutions in their large, expanded booths.
Diagnostic Displays
If you visited the exhibit hall and met with any digital pathology companies, likely you were looking at whole slide images on a Barco diagnostic display. I recently posted about diagnostic displays, and how they could play a key role in the future of digital pathology, and it was nice to see the industry support and response to diagnostic displays.
Whether it was during sessions, reviewing posters, walking the exhibit hall, or in conversations with colleagues; digital pathology was definitely a hot topic. With all this excitement and advancement I cannot wait to see where we are next year, and to see who else will jump on the bandwagon!
Excitement is building within the digital pathology community as we prepare to kick off the 99th annual meeting of the United States and Canadian Association of Pathology (USCAP) this weekend in Washington DC. Although I have attended this meeting several times, this year I have a whole new perspective. Instead of being an exhibitor, I am a registered attendee!! This may seem like a trivial change, yet, think of it this way. I’m not confined to a 10×20 rectangle, I do not have to eat lunch in shifts with a buddy, I’m invited to cocktail parties, and of course, no set-up or breakdown!
As a registered attendee, I am looking forward to:
With lots of news coming out in anticipation of the meeting and to keep the conversations going while at the meeting, please join me in tweeting about USCAP with #USCAP10 and Digital Pathology with #digpath. Let’s gain impressions and share information through twitter. Also, I welcome the opportunity to meet new people. Please send me an email if you would like to catch up.
Walking the floor of ToxExpo this week, I came across a Barco medical display monitor at the SlidePath booth. The monitor was the Coronis Fusion model, a 6 MegaPixel wide-screen diagnostic color display. This monitor has some impressive features including:
Courtesy of www.barco.com
In addition, Barco medical imaging displays come with MediCal QAWeb. A software package that provides surveillance of all the Barco monitors. QA Web can:
It seems logical that diagnostic displays will have a place in digital pathology, however the size, specifications and requirements will likely change. For example, diagnostic displays for mammography must have 510(k) approval and mandate a display standard of at least 5 MegaPixels. Will digital pathology diagnostic displays require FDA approval? The topic of monitors was briefly discussed at the FDA advisory panel meeting in October. Also, the Diagnostic Intelligence and Health Information Technology (DIHIT), a department of CAP STS, issued information last fall on a prototype of a pathology diagnostic workstation, which was supported by many digital pathology solution providers. In addition, many vendors are starting to market and sell similar solutions to the pathology diagnostic workstation, like Bioimagene’s Crescendo which includes a Barco monitor. Aperio and Olympus are compatible with Barco monitors and will be displaying their digital pathology solutions on them at USCAP in a few weeks. Lastly, we can only hope that costs on diagnostics displays will start to decrease. Currently, the 6 MP Coronis Fusion lists for $17,500 USD.
Other companies who manufacturer color diagnostic displays include EIZO/RadiForce and NDS.
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