Cytopathology & Histopathology

Biography

Biography: Keith J. Kaplan

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature referencing the uses of telecytopathology in clinical care. Telecytopathology (TCP) is the interpretation of cytopathology material at a distance using digital images. Although there is a long history of attempts at implementing TCP for broad clinical use, it still has limited, but important applications in patient care. While the technology has improved from low-grade video quality images to higher-grade static digital images and more recently, whole slide imaging with sub-micron resolution scanning capabilities, the nature of cytology material itself, both in terms of quantity and often quality of cells that can be imaged and viewed at a distance remains a challenge. Cytology material often is not as uniform as formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue in terms of thickness for focusing and cells with three-dimensionality may be spread across an entire slide compare with conventional histology processing. The use of multiple stains to detect subtle features, such as Papanicolaou and Romanowsky in tandem, may increase the number of slides to be viewed and limiting digital pathology techniques to perform assessments in a timely manner. While fine needle aspiration (FNA) is certainly not a new technique, recent developments in advanced imaging techniques, molecular testing and targeted therapies have coincided with a rapid increase in the number of FNA procedures being performed. Consequently, the demand for rapid on-site assessment has also increased, outstripping the capacity of available cytopathologists at many institutions. This session will address the value proposition and use cases for digital pathology in cytopathology.