一種使用標準臺式電腦將顯微鏡連接到因特網上的系統，允許偏遠地區的使用者能夠觀察并操縱病理切片來進行遠程會診并得到準確診斷。

目前該系統正在加拿大西Parry Sound健康中心(WPSHC, Ontario, Canada)使用，這家醫療保健網絡涵蓋了安大略地區70,000人口。傳統上這個網絡使用快遞員將患者病理切片傳送給相關專家，以獲得最佳診斷結果。但是這種傳統方法有些先天不足，從而降低了網絡提供最佳保健措施的能力。其一是處理過程需要24小時甚至更長，當處理急診病例的時候就不可行了。另外一個缺陷是標本照片不能反應一張切片所能提供的全部細節。

該網絡首席病理師兼實驗醫學主任Ola Kassim醫生解釋說：“當觀察樣本的時候，病理師需要移動切片，放大或者縮小、照亮特定視野。而面對一張照片或者靜態數字照片，這些都無法做到。”

新型系統允許病理師控制其他單位的一臺真實顯微鏡下的一張真實切片，甚至當不同醫療單位醫生會診的時候共同操縱一張切片。除此之外，因為無需召集另外一個病理師來處理急診，無論身在何處Kassim醫生都能夠通過他的膝上計算機來處理，因此該系統能夠降低醫療費用。

這套系統是由Trestal公司(Irvine, CA, USA)研制成功的。該公司研發并推向市場的數字成像以及遠程醫學產品，將地理上分散的使用者、信息數據庫以及分析產品彼此有機的聯系起來。

Telemedicine Microscopy
 
A system that uses standard PCs to connect microscopes to the Internet enables users in remote areas to view and navigate slides for accurate consultation and diagnosis.

This system is now being used by West Parry Sound Health Center (WPSHC, Ontario, Canada), a network of healthcare facilities covering 70,000 people in Ontario. Traditionally, the network has used couriers to transport patient’s slides to appropriate specialists to obtain the best diagnostic results. However, this method has several flaws that undermine the network’s ability to provide the best healthcare. One is that the process often takes 24 hours or more, not acceptable when dealing with an urgent diagnosis. Another flaw is that the photo of a specimen does not reveal the detail that an actual slide can provide.

“When viewing a specimen, a pathologist needs to move the slide, zoom in or out, and illuminate certain areas,” explained Dr. Ola Kassim, the network’s chief pathologist and director of laboratory medicine. “With a photo or a static digital image, none of this is possible.”

The system allows pathologists to control an actual slide on an actual microscope in another facility and even to share control of a slide while conducting a consultation between doctors in different facilities. In addition, since there is no need to bring in another pathologist to be on call for emergencies, which Dr. Kassim can handle on his laptop computer wherever he is, the system reduces costs.

The system was developed by Trestle Holdings, Inc. (Irvine, CA, USA). The company develops and markets digital imaging and telemedicine products that link geographically dispersed users with each other, information databases, and analytical tools.