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Oteri V, Piane S, Cocci E. The use of telecytology for the evaluation of thyroid nodules fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens: a systematic review. J Endocrinol Invest 2024:10.1007/s40618-024-02378-3. [PMID: 38704449 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-024-02378-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is currently the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules, but the growing need for anatomic pathology services in small communities is becoming a challenge. Telecytology (TC) is defined as the electronic transmission of cytological digital images, and allows for the collection of samples, primary diagnosis, and other applications without the physical presence of a pathologist. Our aim is to systematically report, summarize, and critically analyze the most up to date applications of TC to thyroid nodules FNAB evaluation. METHODS We performed a systematic literature review by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Only studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals were included. Data were extracted using the PICO framework and critically analyzed. PRISMA guidelines were applied, and the risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the ROBINS-I tools. The methodological quality was assessed following GRADE criteria. RESULTS We included 13 observational studies, resulting in a total of 3856 evaluated FNAB specimens. The majority of studies (63.6%) showed an excellent concordance rate of diagnosis via TC and conventional cytology. TC can be used to perform preliminary assessment of samples with a concordance rate ranging from 74 and 100%, showing a significant reduction of the non-diagnostic rate. Image quality was referred to as perfect or nearly perfect in most cases, regardless of telecytology technique. CONCLUSION Telecytology could be a valuable implementation for thyroid FNAB evaluation both for primary diagnosis and preliminary assessment of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Oteri
- Endocrine Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy.
| | - S Piane
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - E Cocci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Kim D, Sundling KE, Virk R, Thrall MJ, Alperstein S, Bui MM, Chen-Yost H, Donnelly AD, Lin O, Liu X, Madrigal E, Michelow P, Schmitt FC, Vielh PR, Zakowski MF, Parwani AV, Jenkins E, Siddiqui MT, Pantanowitz L, Li Z. Digital cytology part 1: digital cytology implementation for practice: a concept paper with review and recommendations from the American Society of Cytopathology Digital Cytology Task Force. J Am Soc Cytopathol 2024; 13:86-96. [PMID: 38158316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jasc.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Digital cytology and artificial intelligence (AI) are gaining greater adoption in the cytopathology laboratory. However, peer-reviewed real-world data and literature are lacking regarding the current clinical landscape. The American Society of Cytopathology in conjunction with the International Academy of Cytology and the Digital Pathology Association established a special task force comprising 20 members with expertise and/or interest in digital cytology. The aim of the group was to investigate the feasibility of incorporating digital cytology, specifically cytology whole slide scanning and AI applications, into the workflow of the laboratory. In turn, the impact on cytopathologists, cytologists (cytotechnologists), and cytology departments were also assessed. The task force reviewed existing literature on digital cytology, conducted a worldwide survey, and held a virtual roundtable discussion on digital cytology and AI with multiple industry corporate representatives. This white paper, presented in 2 parts, summarizes the current state of digital cytology and AI practice in global cytology practice. Part 1 of the white paper presented herein is a review and offers best practice recommendations for incorporating digital cytology into practice. Part 2 of the white paper provides a comprehensive review of AI in cytology practice along with best practice recommendations and legal considerations. Additionally, the results of a global survey regarding digital cytology are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kim
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Kaitlin E Sundling
- The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Renu Virk
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Michael J Thrall
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Susan Alperstein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Marilyn M Bui
- The Department of Pathology, Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | | | - Amber D Donnelly
- Diagnostic Cytology Education, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Allied Health Professions, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Oscar Lin
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Xiaoying Liu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | - Emilio Madrigal
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Pamela Michelow
- Division of Anatomical Pathology, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Pathology, National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Fernando C Schmitt
- Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty of Porto University, Porto, Portugal
| | - Philippe R Vielh
- Department of Pathology, Medipath and American Hospital of Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Anil V Parwani
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Momin T Siddiqui
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Liron Pantanowitz
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
| | - Zaibo Li
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
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Miguel R, Gregorio B, Santos C, Andriotti C, Valle L, Saieg M. Validation of cytopathology specimens for digital pathology. Cytopathology 2023; 34:302-307. [PMID: 36974500 DOI: 10.1111/cyt.13234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Digital cytopathology is being progressively implemented in centres worldwide, but impediments such as the three-dimensionality of specimens and the size of scanned images have prevented its use from becoming widespread. This study aimed to validate the use of digital whole slide image scanning of cytopathology samples for routine sign-out. METHODS Specimens were scanned using the Leica Aperio GT 450 System. The following sample types were used: liquid-based cytology, direct conventional smears from fine needle aspirates and cytospins. Cases were validated by the same pathologist who originally rendered the conventional diagnosis, with a washout of at least 3 months. Final digital diagnoses were compared to the original analogical diagnoses, and cases were considered concordant up to a one-degree difference between the original and digital diagnoses. Reasons for the unsuccessful scanning of slides were also noted. The technical procedures followed the College of American Pathologists' guidelines for digital pathology validation. RESULTS A total of 730 slides from 383 cases (337 female, 51 male; median age 42) were successfully scanned. These cases consisted of the following sample types: 81 (21.1%) conventional smears, 240 (62.7%) liquid-based cytology samples and 62 (16.2%) cytospins. There were only five discordant cases, with a 98.7% agreement between original and digital diagnoses using the difference rate of up to one degree. Seventy-seven slides (10.5%) had to be rescanned due to technical problems. The main reasons for unsuccessful scanning were paucicellular samples (44; 57.1%), the thickness of the smears (18; 23.4%) and issues with the coverslip (15; 19.5%). CONCLUSION Cytological specimens can be successfully scanned and used for digital pathology, with excellent agreement with the original diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mauro Saieg
- Fleury Group, São Paulo, Brazil
- Santa Casa Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
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Rizzo PC, Caputo A, Maddalena E, Caldonazzi N, Girolami I, Dei Tos AP, Scarpa A, Sbaraglia M, Brunelli M, Gobbo S, Marletta S, Pantanowitz L, Della Mea V, Eccher A. Digital pathology world tour. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231194551. [PMID: 37654717 PMCID: PMC10467307 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231194551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Digital pathology (DP) is currently in the spotlight and is rapidly gaining ground, even though the history of this field spans decades. Despite great technological progress, the adoption of DP for routine clinical diagnostic use remains limited. Methods A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases Pubmed-MEDLINE and Embase. Inclusion criteria were all published studies that encompassed any application of DP. Results Of 4888 articles retrieved, 4041 were included. Relevant articles were categorized as "diagnostic" (147/4041, 4%) where DP was utilized for routine diagnostic workflow and "non-diagnostic" (3894/4041, 96%) for all other applications. The "non-diagnostic" articles were further categorized according to DP application including "artificial intelligence" (33%), "education" (5%), "narrative" (17%) for reviews and editorials, and "technical" (45%) for pure research publications. Conclusion This manuscript provided temporal and geographical insight into the global adoption of DP by analyzing the published scientific literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Chiara Rizzo
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessandro Caputo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Eddy Maddalena
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Nicolò Caldonazzi
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ilaria Girolami
- Department of Pathology, Provincial Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
- Lehrkrankenhaus der Paracelsus Medizinischen Privatuniversität, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Angelo Paolo Dei Tos
- Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marta Sbaraglia
- Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Unit, Department of Medicine-DIMED, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Matteo Brunelli
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Gobbo
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefano Marletta
- Department of Pathology, Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda, Verona, Italy
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Della Mea
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Albino Eccher
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Antonini P, Santonicco N, Pantanowitz L, Girolami I, Rizzo PC, Brunelli M, Bellevicine C, Vigliar E, Negri G, Troncone G, Fadda G, Parwani A, Marletta S, Eccher A. Relevance of the College of American Pathologists guideline for validating whole slide imaging for diagnostic purposes to cytopathology. Cytopathology 2023; 34:5-14. [PMID: 36082410 PMCID: PMC10087327 DOI: 10.1111/cyt.13178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Whole slide imaging (WSI) allows pathologists to view virtual versions of slides on computer monitors. With increasing adoption of digital pathology, laboratories have begun to validate their WSI systems for diagnostic purposes according to reference guidelines. Among these the College of American Pathologists (CAP) guideline includes three strong recommendations (SRs) and nine good practice statements (GPSs). To date, the application of WSI to cytopathology has been beyond the scope of the CAP guideline due to limited evidence. Herein we systematically reviewed the published literature on WSI validation studies in cytology. A systematic search was carried out in PubMed-MEDLINE and Embase databases up to November 2021 to identify all publications regarding validation of WSI in cytology. Each article was reviewed to determine if SRs and/or GPSs recommended by the CAP guideline were adequately satisfied. Of 3963 retrieved articles, 25 were included. Only 4/25 studies (16%) satisfied all three SRs, with only one publication (1/25, 4%) fulfilling all three SRs and nine GPSs. Lack of a suitable validation dataset was the main missing SR (16/25, 64%) and less than a third of the studies reported intra-observer variability data (7/25, 28%). Whilst the CAP guideline for WSI validation in clinical practice helped the widespread adoption of digital pathology, more evidence is required to routinely employ WSI for diagnostic purposes in cytopathology practice. More dedicated validation studies satisfying all SRs and/or GPSs recommended by the CAP are needed to help expedite the use of WSI for primary diagnosis in cytopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Antonini
- Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Santonicco
- Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Liron Pantanowitz
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ilaria Girolami
- Department of Pathology, Provincial Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
| | - Paola Chiara Rizzo
- Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Matteo Brunelli
- Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Elena Vigliar
- Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Negri
- Department of Pathology, Provincial Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), Bolzano-Bozen, Italy
| | | | - Guido Fadda
- Section of Pathological Anatomy, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood "G. Barresi", University Hospital G. Martino, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Anil Parwani
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Stefano Marletta
- Section of Pathology, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Albino Eccher
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Kim D, Burkhardt R, Alperstein SA, Gokozan HN, Goyal A, Heymann JJ, Patel A, Siddiqui MT. Evaluating the role of Z-stack to improve the morphologic evaluation of urine cytology whole slide images for high-grade urothelial carcinoma: Results and review of a pilot study. Cancer Cytopathol 2022; 130:630-639. [PMID: 35584402 DOI: 10.1002/cncy.22595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole slide imaging (WSI) adoption has been slower in cytopathology due, in part, to challenges in multifocal plane scanning on 3-dimensional cell clusters. ThinPrep and other liquid-based preparations may alleviate the issue by reducing clusters in a concentrated area. This study investigates the use of Z-stacked images for diagnostic assessment and the experience of evaluating urine ThinPrep WSI. METHODS Thirty ThinPrep urine cases of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (n = 22) and cases of negative for high-grade urothelial carcinoma (n = 8) were included. Slides were scanned at 40× magnification without Z-stack and with Z-stack at 3 layers, 1 μm each. Six cytopathologists and 1 cytotechnologist evaluated the cases in 2 rounds with a 2-week wash-out period in a blinded manner. A Cohen's Kappa (CK) calculated concordance rates. A survey after each round evaluated participant experience. RESULTS CK with the original report ranged from 0.606 to 1.0 (P < .05) without Z-stack and 0.533 to 1.0 (P < .05) with Z-stack both indicating substantial-to-perfect concordance. For both rounds, interobserver CK was moderate-to-perfect (0.417-1.0, P < .05). Intraobserver CK was 0.697-1.0 (P < 0.05), indicating substantial to perfect concordance. The average scan time and file size for slides without Z-stack and with Z-stack are 6.27 minute/0.827 GB and 14.06 minute/2.650 GB, respectively. Surveys demonstrated a range in comfort and use with slightly more favorable opinions for Z-stacked cases. CONCLUSIONS Z-stack images provide minimal diagnostic benefit for urine ThinPrep WSI. In addition, Z-stacked urine WSI does not justify the prolonged scan times and larger storage needs compared to those without Z-stack.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kim
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robert Burkhardt
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Susan A Alperstein
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hamza N Gokozan
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Abha Goyal
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonas J Heymann
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ami Patel
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Momin T Siddiqui
- Division of Cytopathology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
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Archondakis S, Roma M, Kaladelfou E. The Implementation of Static Telecytology for Teleconsultation Purposes During Preoperative Evaluation of Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Specimens. Telemed J E Health 2020; 27:207-212. [PMID: 32379546 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of applying static telecytology for teleconsultation purposes during preoperative evaluation of challenging thyroid fine-needle aspiration specimens. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 141 cytologically challenging specimens of 125 patients referred to Alpha Prolipsis Cytopathology Department. All cases were finally confirmed histologically. During the study, 10 characteristic images from each case were transferred through file transfer protocol to password-protected accounts for remote review by three independent cytopathologists, with documented experience in the field of thyroid cytology. In addition to diagnosis, reviewers also commented on overall digital image quality. Contributor's and reviewer's diagnoses were collected, recorded, and statistically evaluated. No significant difference in diagnostic accuracy could be detected between the diagnoses proffered based on digitized images and conventional slides. Telecytology is a prompt and valid method for acquisition of a second opinion diagnosis in challenging cases and can be integrated into daily workflow. The use of telecytology for teleconsultation purposes in the laboratory's daily workflow will further ensure the accuracy of preoperative cytological diagnoses and will contribute to cytopathologists continuous education and better understanding of the criteria applied in thyroid gland lesions cytomorphological diagnosis. Results: Statistical evaluation of cytological diagnoses detected no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between the diagnoses proffered based on digitized images among contributing cytopathologists. The overall interobserver agreement was very good with κ values of 0.73-0.88. Conclusions: The widespread availability of imaging technology and telecommunication enables instant access to global expert cytopathologists. Static telecytology can be used as an efficient method for acquisition of second opinion in challenging thyroid fine-needle aspiration specimens. It can be used for rapid and accurate diagnosis, by diminishing turnaround times and improving small cytology departments' quality indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros Archondakis
- Department of Cytopathology, Alpha Prolipsis Medical Laboratories, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Roma
- Department of Cytopathology, Alpha Prolipsis Medical Laboratories, Athens, Greece
| | - Evropi Kaladelfou
- Department of Cytopathology, Alpha Prolipsis Medical Laboratories, Athens, Greece
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Eccher A, Girolami I. Current state of whole slide imaging use in cytopathology: Pros and pitfalls. Cytopathology 2020; 31:372-378. [PMID: 32020667 DOI: 10.1111/cyt.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Whole slide imaging (WSI) allows generation of large whole slide images and their navigation with zoom in and out like a true virtual microscope. It has become widely used in surgical pathology for many purposes, such as education and training, research activity, teleconsultation, and primary diagnosis. However, in cytopathology, the use of WSI has been lagging behind histology, mainly due to the cytological specimen's characteristics, as groups of cells of different thickness are distributed throughout the slide. To allow the same focusing capability of light microscope, slides have to be scanned at multiple focal planes, at the cost of longer scan times and larger file size. These are the main technical pitfalls of WSI for cytopathology, partly overcome by solutions like liquid-based preparations. Validation studies for the use in primary diagnosis are less numerous and more heterogeneous than in surgical pathology. WSI has been proved effective for training students and successfully used in proficiency testing, allowing the creation of digital cytology atlases. Longer scan times are also a barrier for use in rapid on-site evaluation, but WSI retains its advantages of easy sharing of images for consultation, multiple simultaneous viewing in different locations, the possibility of unlimited annotations and easy integration with medical records. Moreover, digital slides set the laboratory free from reliance on a physical glass slide, with no more concern of fading of stain or slide breakage. Costs are still a problem for small institutions, but WSI can also represent the beginning of a more efficient way of working.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albino Eccher
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ilaria Girolami
- Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Dixit S, Tanveer N, Kumar H, Diwan H. Smartphone-Assisted Telecytopathology: An Intraobserver Concordance Study. Acta Cytol 2020; 64:399-405. [PMID: 32074596 DOI: 10.1159/000506145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telecytology is the practice of cytology at a distance. The images captured by a camera are sent to the cytopathologist at a different location who views the images and reaches a diagnosis. Recently, smartphone-assisted telepathology has been evaluated for different subspecialities of pathology including cytology for second opinion. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the purpose of the study, a total of 151 cases of fine needle aspiration and 10 cases of urine cytology reported by a single pathologist were retrieved from the records. The images of all the cases were captured by a trained pathologist using the primary camera of a smartphone from the ocular of a binocular microscope. The images were sent by WhatsApp to the same pathologist who had made the conventional microscopy diagnosis. The images were viewed on the smartphone screen by the pathologist who replied with the diagnosis after analysing all the images with or without digital zoom. RESULTS A total of 154 cases out of 161 were correctly diagnosed on smartphone-assisted telepathology (overall intraobserver concordance of 95.6%). For head and neck swellings, the concordance was 65/70 (92.9%), for breast lesions, it was 23/24 (95.8%), and for miscellaneous swellings, it was 57/57 (100%). For urine cytology, the concordance rate was 9/10 (90%). CONCLUSION Though the results of this study are encouraging, further improvement in the smartphone camera resolution and internet connectivity would enhance the utility of smartphone-assisted telecytopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Dixit
- Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, Delhi, India
| | - Nadeem Tanveer
- Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, Delhi, India,
| | - Harresh Kumar
- Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, Delhi, India
| | - Himanshi Diwan
- Department of Pathology, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, Delhi, India
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Zarella MD, Jakubowski J. Video compression to support the expansion of whole-slide imaging into cytology. J Med Imaging (Bellingham) 2019; 6:047502. [PMID: 31890747 PMCID: PMC6921690 DOI: 10.1117/1.jmi.6.4.047502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital screening and diagnosis from cytology slides can be aided by capturing multiple focal planes. However, using conventional methods, the large file sizes of high-resolution whole-slide images increase linearly with the number of focal planes acquired, leading to significant data storage and bandwidth requirements for the efficient storage and transfer of cytology virtual slides. We investigated whether a sequence of focal planes contained sufficient redundancy to efficiently compress virtual slides across focal planes by applying a commonly available video compression standard, high-efficiency video coding (HEVC). By developing an adaptive algorithm that applied compression to achieve a target image quality, we found that the compression ratio of HEVC exceeded that obtained using JPEG and JPEG2000 compression while maintaining a comparable level of image quality. These results suggest an alternative method for the efficient storage and transfer of whole-slide images that contain multiple focal planes, expanding the utility of this rapidly evolving imaging technology into cytology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Zarella
- Drexel University, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Jennifer Jakubowski
- Drexel University, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.,Drexel University, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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