Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
J Am Soc Cytopathol. 2024 Sep-Oct;13(5):329-339. doi: 10.1016/j.jasc.2024.04.004. Epub 2024 Apr 23.
Rapid On-Site Evaluation of cytological samples obtained through fine needle aspiration for adequacy is a critical component of a cytology service; however, it imposes a significant time and cost burden for the practicing pathologist and the cytology service. Telecytology enables adequacy assessment by a pathologist remotely, greatly saving time. Telecytology also allows slide preparation and manipulation at the procedure site by an employee with less training requirements, liberating the cytotechnologist to screen cases and perform other laboratory duties - an important aspect to consider during times of cytotechnologist shortages. We propose a telecytology system with a simple setup of a microscope, microscope camera, laptop, and Microsoft Teams software.
We designed a system consisting of a mobile cart, backup battery, microscope, digital camera, and a laptop computer with microscope imaging software and Microsoft Teams software for image transmission. Validation was performed by 4 pathologists making adequacy assessments on randomly selected previously signed out cases using the telecytology system.
Our validation of this system demonstrated a greater than 90% concurrence rate between the original adequacy call and the call made by pathologists using the telecytology system - a benchmark used by most, if not all, published validations of similar telecytology systems. In addition, the adequacy assessment concordance rate between select pathologists exceeded 90%.
In summary, our telecytology system provides excellent adequacy services for the clinicians and patients we serve. The Microsoft Teams software is a great tool for transmission of video microscopy. This system will be used with the goal of saving time and increasing efficiency for the cytopathology department.
通过细针吸取细胞学样本进行快速现场评估是细胞学服务的一个关键组成部分；然而，这给执业病理学家和细胞学服务带来了巨大的时间和成本负担。远程细胞学使病理学家能够进行充分性评估，大大节省了时间。远程细胞学还允许在程序现场由接受较少培训要求的员工进行载玻片准备和操作，从而使细胞技术人员能够筛选病例并执行其他实验室职责-这是在细胞技术人员短缺期间需要考虑的一个重要方面。我们提出了一种具有简单设置的远程细胞学系统，包括显微镜、显微镜摄像头、笔记本电脑和 Microsoft Teams 软件。
我们设计了一个系统，由一个移动推车、备用电池、显微镜、数码相机和带有显微镜成像软件和 Microsoft Teams 软件的笔记本电脑组成，用于图像传输。通过 4 名病理学家使用远程细胞学系统对随机选择的先前签署的病例进行充分性评估来进行验证。
我们对该系统的验证表明，与原始充分性评估相比，使用远程细胞学系统进行评估的病理学家的评估结果有超过 90%的一致性-这是大多数（如果不是全部）已发表的类似远程细胞学系统验证中使用的基准。此外，选择的病理学家之间的充分性评估一致性超过 90%。
总之，我们的远程细胞学系统为我们服务的临床医生和患者提供了出色的充分性服务。Microsoft Teams 软件是视频显微镜传输的绝佳工具。该系统将用于节省时间和提高细胞病理学部门的效率。
