title: A flexible, open, decentralized system for digital pathology networks.
abstract: High-resolution digital imaging is enabling digital archiving and sharing of digitized microscopy slides and new methods for digital pathology. Collaborative research centers, outsourced medical services, and multi-site organizations stand to benefit from sharing pathology data in a digital pathology network. Yet significant technological challenges remain due to the large size and volume of digitized whole slide images. While information systems do exist for managing local pathology laboratories, they tend to be oriented toward narrow clinical use cases or offer closed ecosystems around proprietary formats. Few solutions exist for networking digital pathology operations. Here we present a system architecture and implementation of a digital pathology network and share results from a production system that federates major research centers.
authors.affiliation: Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Gowri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kumaraguruparan
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chervenak
authors.forename: Anne D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Dallas M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hyde
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kesselman
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods*; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019113:Telepathology / Q000379:methods*