TY - JOUR
T1 - A whole-slide imaging based workflow reduces the reading time of pathologists
AU - Baidoshvili, Alexi
AU - Khacheishvili, Mariam
AU - van der Laak, Jeroen A.W.M.
AU - van Diest, Paul J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Laboratorium Pathologie Oost Nederland provided funding for this study. We are grateful to our colleagues and patology personnel who contributed expertise that greatly aided the research. We are also grateful for their help with technique support. We owe them gratitude for sharing their pearls of wisdom with us throughout the course of this research. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Japanese Society of Pathology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Even though entirely digitized microscopic tissue sections (whole slide images, WSIs) are increasingly being used in histopathology diagnostics, little data is still available on the effect of this technique on pathologists' reading time. This study aimed to compare the time required to perform the microscopic assessment by pathologists between a conventional workflow (an optical microscope) and digitized WSIs. WSI was used in primary diagnostics at the Laboratory for Pathology Eastern Netherlands for several years (LabPON, Hengelo, The Netherlands). Cases were read either in a traditional workflow, with the pathologist recording the time required for diagnostics and reporting, or entirely digitally. Reading times were extracted from image management system log files, and the digitized workflow was fully integrated into the laboratory information system. The digital workflow saved time in the majority of case categories, with prostate biopsies saving the most (68% time gain). Taking into account case distribution, the digital workflow produced an average gain of 12.3%. Using WSI instead of conventional microscopy significantly reduces pathologists' reading times. Pathologists must work in a fully integrated environment to fully reap the benefits of a digital workflow.
AB - Even though entirely digitized microscopic tissue sections (whole slide images, WSIs) are increasingly being used in histopathology diagnostics, little data is still available on the effect of this technique on pathologists' reading time. This study aimed to compare the time required to perform the microscopic assessment by pathologists between a conventional workflow (an optical microscope) and digitized WSIs. WSI was used in primary diagnostics at the Laboratory for Pathology Eastern Netherlands for several years (LabPON, Hengelo, The Netherlands). Cases were read either in a traditional workflow, with the pathologist recording the time required for diagnostics and reporting, or entirely digitally. Reading times were extracted from image management system log files, and the digitized workflow was fully integrated into the laboratory information system. The digital workflow saved time in the majority of case categories, with prostate biopsies saving the most (68% time gain). Taking into account case distribution, the digital workflow produced an average gain of 12.3%. Using WSI instead of conventional microscopy significantly reduces pathologists' reading times. Pathologists must work in a fully integrated environment to fully reap the benefits of a digital workflow.
KW - business case
KW - digital pathology
KW - time savings
KW - whole slide imaging
KW - workflow efficiency
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147118926&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/pin.13309
DO - 10.1111/pin.13309
M3 - Article
C2 - 36692113
AN - SCOPUS:85147118926
SN - 1320-5463
VL - 73
SP - 127
EP - 134
JO - Pathology International
JF - Pathology International
IS - 3
ER -