30 UCLA Sub-Specialty Pathologists Available to Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University

Vista, CA – April 26, 2011 - Aperio, the global leader in providing digital pathology solutions that improve patient care, today announced that its digital pathology system is being used to support subspecialty pathology consultations between Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (UCLA) in Los Angeles, Calif., and Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University, (ZHU) a 2,000-bed top-ranked hospital located in Hangzhou, China. 

UCLA has a pool of more than 30 sub-specialty experts in pathology that are available to provide remote medical consultation services to China for unusual and complex cases. Aperio’s patented scanning technology allows pathologists at ZHU to capture a digital slide image at very high resolution of the entire tissue sample on a glass slide and share it with pathology experts at UCLA in a secure web-based environment. More than 100 cases have been remotely reviewed to date. The Aperio digital pathology system facilitates the ability to bring high-quality, expert pathology services to China, significantly improving intra and inter observer agreement and ensuring effective treatment to improve patient care. 

“UCLA and ZHU selected the only true global leader in digital pathology that can deliver a complete remote consultation capability today,” said Dirk G. Soenksen, CEO of Aperio. “Aperio is helping healthcare organizations of all types deliver sub-specialty pathology services via online access to topnotch virtual pathologists. Pathology expertise is just a mouse click away anywhere in the world to help ensure the best pathology services possible in a fast and cost-effective way.” 

Use of Aperio’s patented ScanScope® scanners, Spectrum™ image management (PACS) software and remote viewing technology allows U.S. healthcare companies to compete at an international level, facilitating real-time, high performance access to high-resolution digital slide images. 

Jonathan Braun, M.D., Ph.D., chair of pathology and laboratory medicine, and professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, stated, “Digital pathology allows UCLA to offer the advanced skills of our sub-specialty pathologists to China in real time when a specific type of pathology expertise is needed quickly on a difficult or complex case. Our collaboration illustrates how integral pathology is to patient outcomes. Pathologists have become influential partners in treatment. Digital pathology dramatically enhances our ability to provide patient-centered care.” 

UCLA and ZHU pathologists also participate in frequent digital slide conferences using the Aperio system to review individual cases. Pathologists can view annotations on the digital slide image created by other reviewers, while simultaneously adding annotations for others to see. A common cursor superimposed on the digital slide is visible and can be manipulated by all conference participants. The hospitals are also conducting multi-disciplinary conferences, where experts across various disciplines (oncology, radiology, surgery) convene to discuss difficult cases. 

With more system installations than all other digital pathology vendors combined, Aperio is the true global leader and reliable choice for world class digital pathology solutions. The company boasts a global installed base of more than 800 systems in over 30 countries, including more than 500 systems in hospitals and reference laboratories, the 13 largest pharmaceutical companies and a multitude of biotechnology and government organizations.