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Mosquera-Zamudio A, Gomez-Suarez M, Sprockel J, Riaño-Moreno JC, Janssen EAM, Pantanowitz L, Parra-Medina R. Globalization of a telepathology network with artificial intelligence applications in Colombia: The GLORIA program study protocol. J Pathol Inform 2024; 15:100394. [PMID: 39280257 PMCID: PMC11400992 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpi.2024.100394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In Colombia, cancer is recognized as a high-cost pathology by the national government and the Colombian High-Cost Disease Fund. As of 2020, the situation is most critical for adult cancer patients, particularly those under public healthcare and residing in remote regions of the country. The highest lag time for a diagnosis was observed for cervical cancer (79.13 days), followed by prostate (77.30 days), and breast cancer (70.25 days). Timely and accurate histopathological reporting plays a vital role in the diagnosis of cancer. In recent years, digital pathology has been globally implemented as a technological tool in two main areas: telepathology (TP) and computational pathology. TP has been shown to improve rapid and timely diagnosis in anatomic pathology by facilitating interaction between general laboratories and specialized pathologists worldwide through information and telecommunication technologies. Computational pathology provides diagnostic and prognostic assistance based on histopathological patterns, molecular, and clinical information, aiding pathologists in making more accurate diagnoses. We present the study protocol of the GLORIA digital pathology network, a pioneering initiative, and national grant-approved program aiming to design and pilot a Colombian digital pathology transformation focused on TP and computational pathology, in response to the general needs of pathology laboratories for diagnosing complex malignant tumors. The study protocol describes the design of a TP network to expand oncopathology services across all Colombian regions. It also describes an artificial intelligence proposal for lung cancer, one of Colombia's most prevalent cancers, and a freely accessible national histopathological image database to facilitate image analysis studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Mosquera-Zamudio
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Facultad de Medicina, Universitat de València, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 15, València, Spain
| | - Marcela Gomez-Suarez
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - John Sprockel
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Julian Camilo Riaño-Moreno
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerlogía, Bogotá, Colombia
- Faculty of Medicine, Cooperative University of Colombia, Villavicencio, Colombia
| | - Emiel A M Janssen
- Department of Pathology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Liron Pantanowitz
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rafael Parra-Medina
- Research Institute, Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá, Colombia
- Instituto Nacional de Cancerlogía, Bogotá, Colombia
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Lin O, Alperstein S, Barkan GA, Cuda JM, Kezlarian B, Jhala D, Jin X, Mehrotra S, Monaco SE, Rao J, Saieg M, Thrall M, Pantanowitz L. American Society of Cytopathology Telecytology validation recommendations for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). J Am Soc Cytopathol 2024; 13:111-121. [PMID: 38310002 DOI: 10.1016/j.jasc.2023.12.001] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Telecytology has multiple applications, including rapid onsite evaluation (ROSE) of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens. It can enhance cytopathology practice by increasing productivity, reducing costs, and providing subspecialty expertise in areas with limited access to a cytopathologist. However, there are currently no specific validation guidelines to ensure safe practice and compliance with regulations. This initiative, promoted by the American Society of Cytopathology (ASC), intends to propose recommendations for telecytology implementation. These recommendations propose that the validation process should include testing of all hardware and software, both separately and as a whole; training of all individuals who will participate in telecytology with regular competency evaluations; a structured approach using retrospective slides with defined diagnoses for validation and prospective cases for verification and quality assurance. Telecytology processes must be integrated into the laboratory's quality management system and benchmarks for discrepancy rates between preliminary and final diagnoses should be established and monitored. Special attention should be paid to minimize discrepancies that downgrade malignant cases to benign (false positive on telecytology). Currently, billing and reimbursement codes for telecytology are not yet available. Once, they are, recommendation of the appropriate usage of these codes would be a part of the recommendations. These proposed guidelines are intended to be a resource for laboratories that are considering implementing telecytology. These recommendations can help to ensure the safe and effective use of telecytology and maximize its benefits for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
| | - Susan Alperstein
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York
| | - Güliz A Barkan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Jacqueline M Cuda
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Brie Kezlarian
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Darshana Jhala
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Xiaobing Jin
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Swati Mehrotra
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Sara E Monaco
- Department of Pathology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania
| | - Jianyu Rao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mauro Saieg
- Department of Pathology, Santa Casa Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michael Thrall
- Department of Pathology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
| | - Liron Pantanowitz
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Elmas H, Önal B, Steurer S, Hantzsch-Kuhn B, Claussen M, Mehdi E, Ince Ü, Rabe KF, Sauter G, Welker L. Rapid Remote Online Evaluation in Endoscopic Diagnostics: An Analysis of Biopsy-Proven Respiratory Cytopathology. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3329. [PMID: 37958225 PMCID: PMC10647841 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13213329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This prospective study assesses the use of rapid remote online cytological evaluation for diagnosing endoscopical achieved biopsies. It focuses on its effectiveness in identifying benign and malignant conditions using digital image processing. METHODS The study was conducted between April 2021 and September 2022 and involved analyses of 314 Rapid Remote Online Cytological Evaluations in total (154 imprint cytologies, 143 fine needle aspirations and 17 brush cytologies) performed on 239 patients at the LungenClinic Grosshansdorf. During on-site evaluation via telecytology, the time requirement was recorded and the findings were compared with the cyto-/histological and final diagnoses. RESULTS By means of rapid remote online evaluation, findings of 86 cytological benign, 190 malignant and 38 unclear diagnoses were recorded (Ø assessment time, 100 s; range, 11-370 s). In 27 of the 37 specimens with unclear diagnoses, the final findings were malignant tumours and only 6 were benign changes. The diagnosis of another 4 of these 37 findings remained unclear. Excluding these 37 specimens, rapid remote online evaluation achieved a sensitivity of 90.5% with a specificity of 98.5% and a correct classification rate of 92.4% with regard to the final diagnosis of all cases. As expected, an increase in the sensitivity rate for the cytological detection of malignant tumours (76.1% vs. 92.5%) was found especially in fine-needle aspirations. CONCLUSIONS Rapid remote online analysis allows the fast quantitative and qualitative evaluation of clinically obtained cytological specimens. With a correct classification rate of more than 93%, sampling deficiencies can be corrected promptly and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches can be derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hatice Elmas
- Section Cytopathology, Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf UKE, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany; (S.S.); (G.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Binnur Önal
- Acıbadem Healthcare Group, Pathology Department, Acıbadem University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey; (B.Ö.); (Ü.I.)
| | - Stefan Steurer
- Section Cytopathology, Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf UKE, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany; (S.S.); (G.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Birgit Hantzsch-Kuhn
- LungenClinic Großhansdorf, D-22927 Großhansdorf, Germany; (B.H.-K.); (M.C.); (K.F.R.)
- Airway Research North (ARCN), Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL), D-35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Claussen
- LungenClinic Großhansdorf, D-22927 Großhansdorf, Germany; (B.H.-K.); (M.C.); (K.F.R.)
- Airway Research North (ARCN), Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL), D-35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Elnur Mehdi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, National Center of Oncology, 1012 Baku, Azerbaijan;
| | - Ümit Ince
- Acıbadem Healthcare Group, Pathology Department, Acıbadem University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey; (B.Ö.); (Ü.I.)
| | - Klaus F. Rabe
- LungenClinic Großhansdorf, D-22927 Großhansdorf, Germany; (B.H.-K.); (M.C.); (K.F.R.)
- Airway Research North (ARCN), Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL), D-35037 Marburg, Germany
| | - Guido Sauter
- Section Cytopathology, Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf UKE, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany; (S.S.); (G.S.); (L.W.)
| | - Lutz Welker
- Section Cytopathology, Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf UKE, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany; (S.S.); (G.S.); (L.W.)
- Airway Research North (ARCN), Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung (DZL), D-35037 Marburg, Germany
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Sarode VR. The current practice of telecytology for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE): Practical considerations and limitations. Semin Diagn Pathol 2022; 39:463-467. [PMID: 35718579 DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2022.06.006] [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: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Advances in digital imaging technology and development of high-speed internet has brought a change in ROSE practice from the traditional in-person to remote evaluation. The rapid expansion of image-guided procedures to obtain tissues for diagnosis and ancillary testing has put a huge demand on cytopathologists' time to perform on-site adequacy assessment. The technology of transmitting digital slide images in real-time via the internet from procedure site that can be viewed remotely and provide preliminary diagnosis, has had a huge impact on the practice of ROSE. Telecytology (TC) has increased the efficiency of cytopathologists, by cutting down on travel time to procedure sites and eliminate the long wait time between procedures/needle passes. It also provides the cytopathologist with the flexibility of covering ROSE procedures occurring at several locations simultaneously. The options and design of TC systems are driven by clinical needs, availability of resources and case volume. A buy-in from stakeholders early in the process, infrastructure planning and information technology (IT) support are critical for the successful implementation of TC. Training of staff, validation study and compliance training should be performed according to established guidelines. There are different TC platforms commercially available in the market today, these include static image sharing, real-time video streaming, robotic microscopy and whole slide imaging (WSI). Additionally, low-cost TC system can be built and designed using equipment that are available off-the-shelf. The intent of this review is to highlight the current practices of TC, the pros and cons of each system are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venetia Rumnong Sarode
- Director of Cytopathology Clements University Hospital, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6201 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9073, USA.
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