Pathologist Assessments of Focus Quality Using Automated Whole Slide Imaging for Thirty Randomly Selected Surgical Pathology Cases
Russell, A Silowash ; University of Pittsburgh;
Content:
Whole slide image technology is increasingly being used in pathology for education, quality assurance and consultation in the pathology community. There is limited data available on the focus quality of various anatomical structures when Whole Slide Imaging is used to capture the images. The focus qualities of anatomical structures have significant impact on a pathological diagnosis. The aims of the current project were to assess the focus quality of images from multiple digital images.
Technology:
Slides were scanned with an Aperio T2 scanner and served on a machine equipped with Microsoft Windows Server 2000. Focus quality surveys were collected using a self-reporting Microsoft Access Database.
Design:
Thirty randomly selected cases composed of 202 slides were scanned using the Aperio slide scanner and made available to participants. Six pathologists viewed digital slides with Aperios Spectrum Web viewer and ranked overall focus quality using a five-point Likert scale. Variables such as nuclear, cytoplasmic, non-cellular, red blood cell, and lymphocytic detail were ranked with a five-point Likert scale as well. Surgical pathology specimens were grouped into 13 groups. Focus quality ratings were recorded in an electronic database. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were performed on all variables of focus quality for every surgical pathology biopsy group. Descriptive statistics for focus quality were also performed.
Results:
Data collected from six pathologists within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center resulted in 445 surveys using a screen resolution of 1024X768 pixels, and 279 surveys were completed with a screen resolution of 1280X1024 pixels. Screen resolution was not controlled for; pathologists used their everyday computers with their typical screen resolution as a default. Focus quality ratings ranged mostly from excellent to fair for each of the focus quality variables. Wilcoxon signed ranks test values had significant results for focus quality variables.
Conclusion:
Focus quality ratings show encouraging results validating the use of Digital Slides as a viable technology for surgical pathology diagnostic purposes. Our data show that monitor screen resolution may have an effect on focus quality interpretation. Additional studies are underway to further characterize other variables that may have an impact on focus quality.
