A PATHOLOGIST-DESIGNED IMAGING-SYSTEM FOR ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY SIGNOUT,TEACHING, AND RESEARCH

Pathology images are derived from gross surgical specimens, light micr oscopy, immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, molecular diagnostic gels, flow cytometry, image analysis data, and clinical laboratory dat a in graphic form. We have implemented a network of desktop personal c omputers (PCs) that allow us to easily capture, store, and retrieve gr oss and microscopic, anatomic, and research pathology images. System a rchitecture involves multiple image acquisition and retrieval sites an d a central file server for storage. The digitized images are conveyed via a local area network to and from image capture or display station s. Acquisition sites consist of a high-resolution camera connected to a frame grabber card in a 486-type personal computer, equipped with 16 MB (Table 1) RAM, a 1.05-gigabyte hard drive, and a 32-bit ethernet c ard for access to our anatomic pathology reporting system. We have des igned a push-button workstation for acquiring and indexing images that does not significantly interfere with surgical pathology sign-out. Ad vantages of the system include the following: (1) Improving patient ca re: the availability of gross images at time of microscopic sign-out, verification of recurrence of malignancy from archived images, monitor ing of bone marrow engraftment and immunosuppressive intervention afte r bone marrow/solid organ transplantation on repeat biopsies, and abil ity to seek instantaneous consultation with any pathologist on the net work; (2) enhancing the teaching environment: building a digital surgi cal pathology atlas, improving the availability of images for conferen ce support, and sharing cases across the network; (3) enhancing resear ch: case study compilation, metastudy analysis, and availability of di gitized images for quantitative analysis and permanent/reusable image records for archival study; and (4) other practical and economic consi derations: storing case requisition images and hand-drawn diagrams det ers the spread of gross room contaminants and results in considerable cost savings in photographic media for conferences, improved quality a ssurance by porting control stains across the network, and a multiplic ity of other advantages that enhance image and information management in pathology. Copyright (C) 1994 by W.B. Saunders Company