Artificial intelligence holds great potential for routine pathology and that’s why we created a wide network of highly specialised pathologists around the world. Click To Tweet
Every nine seconds, there is a cancer diagnosis in Europe. The demand for pathology services is rapidly growing and with the increased demand for complex testing. Although, the necessary medical capacity is not growing at the same pace, causing serious delays in patient treatment and putting pathologists under intense pressure.
For this reason, at Unilabs we began a journey some time ago to make the diagnostic process more efficient, saving lives by detecting potential errors in time.
A journey that resulted in a wide network of highly specialised pathologists around the world thanks to our choice of digital pathology solutions.
The initial steps of digital pathology
Digital pathology involves the conversion of samples into digital images through a scanner that allows them to be analysed anywhere beyond the conventional microscope.
With this technology, large volumes of samples are scanned and digitally archived. Microscopic resolution is especially important in pathology, with the acquisition of images necessary for radiology, occupying even more storage space.
Although at Unilabs we had already accomplished the full digitalization of our services and automation of our laboratories, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need to enable collaboration between pathologists working in different locations.
Advantages of digital pathology
Digital pathology is replacing optical microscopy as the primary tool for pathological diagnosis, given the countless additional advantages it offers:
- Faster turnaround times.
- Efficient and flexible management of slide images.
- Full section magnification.
- Increased diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.
- Simplification of morphological findings through digital tools, such as measurements, counts and annotations, with direct connectivity to image analysis software.
- Streamlined workflow process.
- Quick and easy access to digital archives.
- Improved standardisation of microscopic methods by reducing subjectivity between observers.
- Simultaneous and rapid presentation of histological, immunohistological and molecular techniques on the same screen at any magnification (particularly helpful in evaluating changes in time or different stain procedures from the same sample).
- Multidisciplinary collaboration between pathologists working in different places around the world, sharing images, discussing and reviewing clinical cases without physical slide transfer.
- Flexible job opportunities lead to higher satisfaction of workers.
- Powerful teaching tool.
Synergies of digital pathology and artificial intelligence
During the last decade, the combination of the disciplines of pathology and artificial intelligence has resulted in exciting changes in healthcare, supporting pathologists in their daily work, thanks to the automation and standardisation of numerous tasks.
These tools allow once the digital images are ready, they are scanned to detect possible critical findings. When the pathologist opens the images, the critical areas are highlighted, facilitating the case report and improving the outcome for the patient.
In addition, it is possible to automatically identify and tag each sample to always find and select the best specialist for each specific case by adding it to their work list as a priority over other cases.
Therefore, these new technologies aim to develop more efficient workflows.
Future of pathology
At Unilabs, we want to be at the forefront of innovation in pathology, playing an active role in designing the future diagnostic process around artificial intelligence.
Digital pathology and artificial intelligence hold great potential for routine pathology, resulting in Unilabs pursuing the opportunity to join forces with sub-specialized, motivated, and talented pathologists to continue this journey into the future of pathology.
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