Digital pathology in clinical consultation practice

Interesting article in Journal of Pathology Informatics on digital pathology in clinical consultation practice by Subodh Lele at the University of Nebraska.

Abstract:

Digital pathology or whole slide imaging technology in clinical consultation practice to me translates into convenient, effective and efficient communication. A not so old method of communication that we still use today is the wired telephone. As we all know, it has limitations in its usage due to it being "wired" and therefore not convenient to use, say for example, while walking down the street. Search for a better device eventually led to the development of the cellular phone. This provides for the required convenience factor without compromising the other features of the standard telephone. Cellular phones have evolved quite dramatically over the last few years such that the most recent versions of the phone with their numerous applications have become almost indispensable for daily use for many. However, the full potential of this device has still not been realized, especially in the field of telemedicine and telepathology. With the development of the new tablet computer/phone, one may not only read the newspaper but could also view whole scanned slides. Soon, it may be possible to read whole slide scans and also sign them out as one would do in his/her office, essentially from anywhere at anytime, using such portable devices!