Department of Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University), New Delhi, 110025, India.
Division of Cytopathology, ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, I-7, Sector-39, Noida, 201301, India.
J Digit Imaging. 2020 Aug;33(4):1034-1040. doi: 10.1007/s10278-020-00351-z.
Whole slide imaging (WSI), ever since its first introduction about two decades ago, has been validated for a number of applications in the field of pathology. The recent approval of US FDA to a WSI system for use in primary surgical pathology diagnosis has opened avenues for wider acceptance and application of this technology in routine practice. The ongoing technological advances in digital scanners, image visualization methods, and the integration of artificial intelligence-derived algorithms with these systems provide opportunities of its newer applications. Its benefits are innumerable such as ease of access through internet, avoidance of physical storage space, and no risk of deterioration of staining quality or breakage of slides to name a few. Various barriers such as the high cost, technical glitches, and professional hesitation to adopt a new technology have hindered its use in pathology. This review article summarizes the technical aspects of WSI, its applications in diagnostic pathology, training, and research along with future perspectives. It highlights the benefits, limitations, and challenges delaying the use of this technology in routine practice. The review is targeted at students, residents, and budding pathologists to better acquaint them with the key aspects of state-of-the-art technology and enable them to implement WSI judiciously.
全玻片成像(WSI)自二十年前首次问世以来,已经在病理学领域的许多应用中得到了验证。最近美国 FDA 批准了一种用于外科病理诊断的 WSI 系统,为该技术在常规实践中的更广泛接受和应用开辟了道路。数字扫描仪、图像可视化方法以及将人工智能衍生算法与这些系统集成方面的技术进步为其提供了更多的应用机会。它的好处不胜枚举,例如通过互联网轻松访问、避免物理存储空间以及避免染色质量恶化或切片破损的风险等。高成本、技术故障以及专业人员对采用新技术的犹豫等各种障碍阻碍了其在病理学中的应用。本文综述了 WSI 的技术方面,及其在诊断病理学、培训和研究中的应用以及未来展望。它强调了该技术在常规实践中延迟使用的优势、局限性和挑战。该综述面向学生、住院医师和崭露头角的病理学家,使他们更好地了解最先进技术的关键方面,并能够明智地实施 WSI。