Digital Pathology Overview
Digital Pathology is the technology that creates high-resolution, whole-slide digital images from glass microscope slides and provides the software to view and manage these images using a computer. Instead of viewing a glass slide under the microscope, you can easily retrieve and view the image of the entire slide on your computer monitor. In addition, the digital pathology information system also helps analyze information generated from the digitized glass slide, taking it beyond the traditional microscope paradigm.
Digital Pathology is a means to an end at a micro level, as well as a macro level.
At a micro level, Digital Pathology is the means to automate and optimize the Pathology Workflow. Digital pathology applications utilizing digital slides are gaining momentum in the clinical and research markets. Digital pathology systems add value beyond what the microscope can offer and enable pathologists, histo technologists, lab administrators and clinicians to improve the efficiency and quality of the various steps involved in the anatomical pathology workflow.
At a macro level, Digital Pathology is the means to enable Personalized Medicine. We are entering the era of personalized medicine in which the testing for specific biomarkers will fall on the pathologist as a consequence of the pathologists’ central role in tissue processing and analysis. Given the critical role of these tests, the need for accurate, reproducible, quantitative results is paramount - digital pathology can provide these results.
Once pathology images are digitized, pathologists can access slide specimens and related data from any location in the world. This leads to numerous benefits such as a more efficient laboratory workflow, education programs, quality assurance programs, secondary consultations, better physician communication, better decision making, and ultimately better patient care.
VIDEOS
Digital Pathology (3:08)
Dr. Ajit Singh, Ph.D. (41:45)