The Future of Telepathology for the Developing World
The Future of Telepathology for the Developing World
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DOI：
10.1043/1543-2165-135.2.211
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发表时间：
2011-02-01
影响因子：
4.6
通讯作者：
Hitchcock, Charles L.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hitchcock, Charles L.
发展中国家的医生短缺问题十分严重，因为这些国家的疾病负担最重，保健资源非常有限。这些国家缺乏病理学家，导致诊断延误和误诊，对病人的护理和生存产生不利影响。在保健资源有限的国家引进远程病理学只是可用于缓解这一问题的多种方法之一，远程病理学是可用于教育和诊断咨询的数字图像的电子传输。一个基本的系统包括一个显微镜与安装数码相机连接到一台计算机。成功使用这项技术还需要制作组织学切片、维修和维护设备以及提供培训的能力。iPath是一个基于Web的开放平台软件应用程序，由瑞士巴塞尔大学开发，它汇集了来自世界各地的病理学家，为诊断咨询提供远程病理学支持，并为中心提供教育，资源有限。使用虚拟载玻片技术提供整个载玻片的数字图像是诊断咨询和病理学教育的另一种技术。这项技术需要更昂贵的资源来支持，这可能会限制其在许多领域的效用。远程病理学可以生成培训本国土著病理学家实现自给自足所需的数字图像和虚拟幻灯片集。因此，这项技术的长期目标是改善患者的护理和生存。(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2011;135：211-214）
Physician shortages are acute in developing countries, where disease burden is the greatest and resources for health care are very limited. A lack of pathologists in these countries has lead to delays in diagnosis and misdiagnoses that adversely affect patient care and survival. The introduction of telepathology into countries with limited resources for health care is but one of multiple approaches that can be used to alleviate the problem.Telepathology is the electronic transmission of digital images that can be used for education and diagnostic consultation. A basic system consists of a microscope with a mounted digital camera linked to a computer. The ability to produce histologic slides, to repair and maintain equipment, and to provide training are also needed for the successful use of this technology.iPath is a Web-based, open platform, software application which was developed at the University of Basel, Switzerland, for telepathology and which brings together pathologists from around the world to provide telepathology support for diagnostic consultation and provides education to centers with limited resources. The use of virtual-slide technology to provide a digital image of an entire glass slide is another technology for diagnostic consultation and pathology education. This technology requires more costly resources to support it, which may limit its utility in many areas. Telepathology can generate collections of digital images and virtual slides needed for training indigenous pathologists in their countries to become self-sufficient. Thus, the long-term goal of this technology is to improve patient care and survival. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2011;135:211-214)