Lossy compression in diagnostic virtual 3-dimensional microscopy--where is the limit?
Data compression is inevitable to reduce the huge data amounts of virtual slides, especially in virtual 3-dimensional (3D) microscopy. Lossy compression influences the image quality and leads to recognizable compression artifacts above a compression ratio of 20:1 in JPEG2000 format. To test out whether higher compression ratios are acceptable in diagnostic pathology, we prepared virtual 3D slides of gastric biopsy specimens with or without Helicobacter pylori gastritis using 5 different compression ratios as follows: 20:1, 40:1, 50:1, 75:1, and 200:1. The virtual 3D slides were diagnosed in a blinded manner by 3 pathologists according to the updated Sydney classification. The results showed no significant differences using virtual 3D slides with any compression of up to 200:1. We conclude that compression ratios higher than those commonly used can be applied in virtual microscopy, even in diagnostic applications.
Kalinski
Thomas
T
Department of Pathology, Otto-von-Guericke-University, D-39120 Magdeburg, Germany. kalinski@med.ovgu.de
Zwönitzer
Ralf
R
Grabellus
Florian
F
Sheu
Sien-Yi
SY
Sel
Saadettin
S
Hofmann
Harald
H
Bernarding
Johannes
J
Roessner
Albert
A
D001706:Biopsy; D044962:Data Compression / Q000379:methods*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D014584:User-Computer Interface