Combining dynamic- and static-robotic techniques for real-time telepathology

Abstract

Aim of this paper is to describe the experimentations carried out to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of a dynamic-robotic telepathology system for the delivery of pathology services to distant hospitals. The system provides static/dynamic features and the remote control of a robotized microscope over four ISDN lines. For evaluation purposes, 184 consecutive cases of frozen sections (60), gastrointestinal pathology (64), and urinary cytology (60) have been diagnosed at a distance using the system, and the telediagnosis obtained in this way has been compared with the traditional microscopic diagnosis. Diagnostic agreement ranged from 90% in urinary cytology to 100% in frozen sections. The results obtained suggest that such a system can be considered a useful tool for supporting the pathology practice in isolated hospitals, when there is need for real-time response. © Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2009.