Presented at the 1998 APIII Conference Return to 1998 Abstract Index
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN INTERNET-BASED TELEPATHOLOGY SYSTEM
http://138.5.50.84
State University of New York Health Science
Center
King's County Hospital Center Brooklyn, New York
J. Gu12,3
V. Anderson2,3
T. Strzelecki2
L. Csury2
E. Zevallos4
A. Nelson2
C. Ladoulis2
1 University of South Alabama, Mobile
2 SUNY Health Science Center Brooklyn
3 Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, N.Y
4 Woodhull Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
Telepathology depends on reliable, user-friendly and cost effective systems that can be operated from desktop or portable computers any time, anywhere. We have developed an Internet based system that combines the benefits of both existing dynamic and static systems. Our approach relies on composite images of the entire slide that are arranged and posted as web pages. The images can be enlarged or reduced to different magnifications without losing any resolution. Area selection is not a concern as all regions of the tissue sections are available for evaluation by the reviewers. The reading of the images follows procedures similar to the way pathologists review slides with a light microscope. The strengths of our system include diagnostic accuracy, and ease of use at a reasonable cost.
We have developed programs to automate the image capturing, arranging and posting process to minimize labor-intensive steps for manipulating and arranging the images. Initial test of this setup was conducted between two geographically separate sites. Most cases were readily identified correctly by the receiving pathologists. Image resolution was preserved at high and low power. A digital camera ($1000) attached to a Win '95 computer was employed. Cable modem, T1, ISDN and regular telephone lines may be used with expected variation in transmission speeds. Telepathology will impact the practice of diagnostic pathology enabling speedy access to consultants and facilitating video conferencing at multiple sites
