IMAGE HANDLING SYSTEM FOR PATHOLOGY AND TELEPATHOLOGY
Project Number2R44GM044420-02A2
Contact PI/Project LeaderPRESTON, KENDALL
Awardee OrganizationKENSAL CORPORATION
Description
Abstract Text
Surgical pathology is, approximately, a 20 billion dollar a year industry
(USA only). Unlike cyto- and hemapathology that focus on microscopic
cells, surgical pathology is concerned with large tissue sections. Tissue
sections are mounted under a coverslip on standard 3x1 inch microscope
slides of which from 50 to 100 million are prepared per year. For at least
ten years the PI (Principal Investigator) has worked with surgical
pathologists interested in digital image handling. Again and again they
have emphasized the diagnostic importance of scanning tissue sections at
the lowest magnification possible. Yet, physical optics absolutely
prevents any microscope lens from imaging the entire 50X25 mm
coverslip. To solve this problem, the PI invented and received a patent on
(1988) an entirely new instrument called PCM (PC Microscope) that,
using a semiconductor-diode, fiber-optic device would permit a FCS (full
coverslip) scan employing "shadow imaging." In addition, PCM would
provide real-time, high-magnification display of regions selected from the
shadow image with submicron resolution. Phase I NIH SBIR funding was
requested to study the feasibility of PCM. When FCS images were shown
to surgical pathologists, the comments were "fantastic" [University of
Southern California], "remarkable and magnificent" [Mayo Clinic], etc.
The president of the Association of Pathology Chairmen, i.e., the top
pathologists in the USA, stated that he envisaged a market of 50,000
units. In diametric opposition to these comments by our potential
customers and for reasons that the PI finds incomprehensible, the two
NIH Study Sections that reviewed our request for Phase II SBIR funding
stated that PCM was only a "laboratory curiosity" with a "very limited,
perhaps non-existent [market]." The PI, therefore, is again requesting
Phase II SBIR funding to reduce PCM to practice and then use two or
more PCMs in a network demonstration (telepathology) where FCS is
essential.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION:
Optical microscopy is used by thousands of surgical pathologists in the
USA and further thousands worldwide. No microscope today can provide
simultaneous images of the entire coverslip as well as high resolution
images of selected portions thereof. KSC's new microscope system
provides both fast full coverslip imaging as well as real-time HDTV in a
single low-cost unit. KSC's system is seen as the next generation
microscope for surgical pathology. The chairman of the largest pathology
department in the USA estimates a market of 50,000 units.
No Sub Projects information available for 2R44GM044420-02A2
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