一種使用標準臺式電腦將顯微鏡連接到因特網(wǎng)上的系統(tǒng)，允許偏遠地區(qū)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(tǒng)正在加拿大西Parry Sound健康中心(WPSHC, Ontario, Canada)使用，這家醫(yī)療保健網(wǎng)絡(luò)涵蓋了安大略地區(qū)70,000人口。傳統(tǒng)上這個網(wǎng)絡(luò)使用快遞員將患者病理切片傳送給相關(guān)專家，以獲得最佳診斷結(jié)果。但是這種傳統(tǒng)方法有些先天不足，從而降低了網(wǎng)絡(luò)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(yīng)一張切片所能提供的全部細節(jié)。

該網(wǎng)絡(luò)首席病理師兼實驗醫(yī)學(xué)主任Ola Kassim醫(yī)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(tài)數(shù)字照片，這些都無法做到。”

新型系統(tǒng)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(yī)療單位醫(yī)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(yī)生都能夠通過他的膝上計算機來處理，因此該系統(tǒng)能夠降低醫(yī)療費用。

這套系統(tǒng)是由Trestal公司(Irvine, CA, USA)研制成功的。該公司研發(fā)并推向市場的數(shù)字成像以及遠程醫(yī)學(xué)產(chǎn)品，將地理上分散的使用者、信息數(shù)據(jù)庫以及分析產(chǎn)品彼此有機的聯(lián)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.