These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Image quality issues in a static image-based telepathology consultation practice.
    Author: Williams BH, Hong IS, Mullick FG, Butler DR, Herring RF, O'Leary TJ.
    Journal: Hum Pathol; 2003 Dec; 34(12):1228-34. PubMed ID: 14691906.
    Abstract:
    Field selection and image quality have often been identified as impediments in the successful employment of static-image telepathology. One thousand seven hundred fifty-three electronic consultations using static images were performed at the Department of Telemedicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) between November 1994 and September 2001, with 98.3% receiving a telepathology diagnosis. In 47.9% of cases, imagery was considered good by AFIP consultants, 38.5% were considered adequate, and 14.6% of cases were considered to have poor-quality imagery. Deficiencies in image quality were recorded for each case. Cases with imagery rated as good averaged significantly fewer deficiencies per case (0.45, range: 0 to 3) than cases with imagery rated adequate (0.95, range: 0 to 6) or poor (2.4, range: 0 to 7). Deficiencies in focus were most commonly identified in this series of cases (28.1%), followed by improper white balancing of the capture device (14.1%) and inadequate resolution (10%). Cases in which images were of inadequate resolution showed an increased likelihood for discordance between the telepathology diagnosis and the diagnosis rendered on follow-up material ("truth diagnosis"). Inadequate field selection, although only cited in 6.7% of cases overall, was seen with a significantly higher frequency in cases in which there was discordance between the telepathology and truth diagnosis. A review of common image deficiencies in static-image telepathology and possible causes is presented.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]