Pathologists and Digital Slide Navigation
Author Information
Author(s): Claudia Mello-Thoms
Primary Institution: University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Shadyside Hospital
Conclusion
Pathologists use unique navigation strategies when examining virtual slides, leading to high coincidence rates in areas of interest but low agreement on specific regions examined.
Supporting Evidence
- Pathologists spent about half their time closely examining areas of interest and the other half navigating the slide.
- The study found a high coincidence rate of areas visited by more than one pathologist, ranging from 41% to 97%.
- Despite high coincidence rates, there was a low level of agreement on specific regions examined by individual pathologists.
Takeaway
When looking at digital slides, pathologists often focus on different areas, but they sometimes agree on what to look at, which can help improve future technology for diagnosing diseases.
Methodology
The study involved four pathologists examining six virtual slides using a custom interface to identify organs and diagnose diseases.
Limitations
The small sample size and the unique characteristics of the custom interface may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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