title: Smartphone adapters for digital photomicrography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Photomicrographs in Anatomic Pathology provide a means of quickly sharing information from a glass slide for consultation, education, documentation and publication. While static image acquisition historically involved the use of a permanently mounted camera unit on a microscope, such cameras may be expensive, need to be connected to a computer, and often require proprietary software to acquire and process images. Another novel approach for capturing digital microscopic images is to use smartphones coupled with the eyepiece of a microscope. Recently, several smartphone adapters have emerged that allow users to attach mobile phones to the microscope. The aim of this study was to test the utility of these various smartphone adapters.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed the market for adapters to attach smartphones to the ocular lens of a conventional light microscope. Three adapters (Magnifi, Skylight and Snapzoom) were tested. We assessed the designs of these adapters and their effectiveness at acquiring static microscopic digital images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All adapters facilitated the acquisition of digital microscopic images with a smartphone. The optimal adapter was dependent on the type of phone used. The Magnifi adapters for iPhone were incompatible when using a protective case. The Snapzoom adapter was easiest to use with iPhones and other smartphones even with protective cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smartphone adapters are inexpensive and easy to use for acquiring digital microscopic images. However, they require some adjustment by the user in order to optimize focus and obtain good quality images. Smartphone microscope adapters provide an economically feasible method of acquiring and sharing digital pathology photomicrographs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Somak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Liron
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pantanowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Milon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Raja R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Seethala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishtiaque
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yousem
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Anil V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Parwani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Ioan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cucoranu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hartman
keywords: Digital pathology; digital photomicrography; smartphone microscope adapters