Case Study: Swedish Pathology Embraces EIZO RadiForce Monitors to Digitize Its Workflow

EIZO and Digital Pathology

To implement a digital pathology workflow at Linköping University Hospital in Sweden, consultant pathologist Anna Bodén MD decided to proceed with the purchase of a fleet of EIZO RadiForce RX850 monitors. All glass slides with thin tissue sections are now scanned and digital diagnostics are conducted on 20 workstations, all equipped with RadiForce RX850 monitors.
Linköping University Hospital

Digitization of Pathology

The digitization of pathology enables:

  • Cost reductions for pathology operators
  • Remote working
  • Greater analytics and performance measurement
  • Interoperability of cloud based archiving and integrated patient record keeping
  • Regionalization of record sharing without the need to physically move samples
  • Collaboration between multi-disciplinary teams
  • Consistency of reviews and access to historical samples and referrals
  • Faster diagnosis (by removing the need to physically courier samples)
  • Better ergonomics with a focus on a screen rather than a microscope

In designing a digital workflow it was critical to emulate the analogue environment (with slides and microscopes) and create an integrated IT architecture with a platform built on competence and research. In a digitized pathology workflow, all glass slides are scanned and diagnostics are conducted by a pathologist.

 

Critical Monitor Features for Digitized Pathology

Dr. Bodén’s decision to proceed with EIZO’s RX850 monitors was based on four significant features:

  • Monitor size
  • Resolution
  • Color presentation
  • Brightness

In a digital workflow the pathologists require the monitors to: facilitate the best possible simulation of microscope, enable fast and efficient navigation; and, read huge scanned images.  The process of exploring the best option began in 2013 when the need to digitize the workflow for pathologists became evident.

img02.png The final decision RadiForce RX850
Consultant pathologist MD Anna Bodén evaluating. The final decision RadiForce RX850

 

About Linköping University Hospital

In 2016 the University Hospital in Linköping was named Sweden's best teaching hospitals by the newspaper “Dagens Medicin”, for the second time in three years. Linköping University Hospital has almost 600 beds and more than 5000 employees and is a leader in emergency care, diagnostic imaging, eye surgery, patient safety, and juvenile diabetes.  In addition, Linköping University Hospital is a specially designated national unit for the treatment of advanced burns and treats patients in need of gender reassignment surgery from all over Scandinavia. Linköping University Hospital is known for integrating medical advances into care with a close working relationship between employees, researchers and patients. The Department of Clinical Genetics has activities at both the Linköping University Hospital and the surrounding hospitals Norrköping and Vrinnevisjukhuset.

 

Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization CMIV

Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization CMIV

The Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV) is a multidisciplinary research center initiated by Linköping University, Region Östergötland and Sectra AB. CMIV conducts focused front-line research within multidisciplinary projects providing solutions to tomorrow’s clinical issues. The mission is to develop future methods and tools for image analysis and visualization for applications within health care and medical research. 

CMIV is part of the VINNOVA financed project DigiPat3 lead by a consortium including CMIV, Sectra and eleven county councils/care providers (Dalarna, Gävleborg, Jönköping, Norrbotten, Sahlgrenska, Stockholm, Unilabs, Värmland, Västmanland, Örebro and Östergötland) as well as Equalis, Interactive Institute ICT and LRI Imaging. DigiPat3 is focused on new work processes and IT tools exploiting the potential of whole-slide imaging (digitization of microscopy glass slides).

During the first two years the DigiPat3 project defined a holistic solution including novel workflows, adapted IT architecture, as well as a prioritized requirement set for corresponding IT tools. The project has developed a demonstrator for underpinning parts of the total solution and created a platform for a competence and research center in this area.  The project now focuses on a broad implementation of digital solutions in clinical environments as well as continuing the development of digital tools and the research platform. The goal for the solutions developed in the project is to achieve shorter turn-around times in pathology, higher diagnostic precision, more cost-efficient resource utilization and improved medical education.

The base for the research platform is found at CMIV and to strengthen the pathology infrastructure there EIZO teamed with CMIV by submitting an RX850. The possibility to offer the same solution as used at the pathology department is important for the research expansion. The partnership also provides EIZO an opportunity to follow the digital pathology development in all regions of Sweden.

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