Digital pathomorphology: creation of an automated microscopy system

Abstract

Introduction. Nowadays digital pathology is an actively developing area. The basis for changing specialty to digital pathology is a Whole slide imaging method which allows to transfer histological slides into digital form. Significant workload on pathologists and insufficient equipment of pathological states require to change the way pathologists work and to implement new technologies which would allow to optimize and facilitate a work with pathological materials. The aim of this paper is to review solutions for scanning pathomorphological materials available on international and Russian markets and scopes of application of these solutions. Materials and methods. The search was conducted on Pubmed database. The search of information about microscopes-scanners was made on sites of developers including open sources in these sites and FDA site. Results. The application of slide scanning and microscopes for WSI was overviewed, the scopes of application and limitations of digital technologies in medicine were described. Based on literature review a classification of devices used for microslides scanning was made. The first type of devices is microscopes-scanners. They are closed systems for microscopy where cameras and lenses are located inside the device and slides scanning is carried out on high speed with capacity for 400 slides in one load. These microscopes are the most widespread ones nowadays. The second type is microscopes that are similar in shape and size to usual light microscopes. Openness of such system provides using different types of microscopy but the capacity of slides is less than in previous mentioned devices. Nevertheless, these specifications allow to use such microscopes in small laboratories including using in scientific research. Among compact microscopes with the sizes similar to a smartphone some models have a high availability due to printing their parts via 3D printers. But these microscopes are used only for visualization of structures where high magnification isn’t needed. This can limit application of this microscopes type in pathology. The fourth type is an optical microscope with attached details that can transform it to a microscope-scanner. Attached details can be printed via 3D printers and thus their using has a great potential in digital pathology since it significantly reduces the price of the device. In addition, based on this type of microscopes the devices scanning all types of slides can be made and therefore they can be used in all laboratories. Conclusion. Our literature review has shown ample opportunities for application of WSI in pathomorphological microslides scanning. Telepathology is an evolving area of telemedicine which creates a need for developing of new technologies.