With deepening concerns that preventable cancer deaths will skyrocket as people continue to miss routine screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will only continue to become more vital than ever to provide patients with a fast and accurate diagnosis.
It’s why the use of digital pathology is accelerating — technology that makes a cancer diagnosis possible within hours, instead of weeks. Not having to wait for answers ultimately allows patients to start potentially life-saving therapy sooner.
“This technology has been even more critical for continuity of care during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when access to health care can be challenging due to necessary safety precautions and limitations on services. This tool helps us get patients to the right providers in a timely manner,” says Anil Parwani, MD, PhD, MBA, director of digital pathology and vice chair/director of anatomic pathology at the OSUCCC – James.
Dr. Anil Parwani views a digital pathology slide at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. This advanced technology helps to provide patients with faster and more accurate diagnoses.
Pathology slides are created by placing a thin piece of tissue on glass, which is examined under a microscope. But with new technology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, digital versions are created to give doctors more insight to accurately diagnose a patient’s type and stage of cancer.
Mike Minshall works on one of his antique cars at his home in Plain City, Ohio. He was told he only had months to live until his pathology slide was re-examined by doctors at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Pathology slides are placed into a machine that scans and digitizes them, creating an image with millions of pixels that can easily be viewed and shared by pathologists.
Traditional pathology slides can take days or even weeks to be prepared and reviewed by specialists. These slides are now being digitized, allowing pathologists to view images on their computer and share information in a matter of minutes – from anywhere, at any time of day.
Hospitals store hundreds of thousands of pathology slides, but new technology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute digitizes these slides, making them much easier to store, share and access.
