title: Microscopic Image Photography Techniques of the Past, Present, and Future.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The field of pathology is driven by microscopic images. Educational activities for trainees and practicing pathologists alike are conducted through exposure to images of a variety of pathologic entities in textbooks, publications, online tutorials, national and international conferences, and interdepartmental conferences. During the past century and a half, photographic technology has progressed from primitive and bulky, glass-lantern projector slides to static and/or whole slide digital-image formats that can now be transferred around the world in a matter of moments via the Internet.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide a historic and technologic overview of the evolution of microscopic-image photographic tools and techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary historic methods of microscopic image capture were delineated through interviews conducted with senior staff members in the Emory University Department of Pathology. Searches for the historic image-capturing methods were conducted using the Google search engine. Google Scholar and PubMed databases were used to research methods of digital photography, whole slide scanning, and smart phone cameras for microscopic image capture in a pathology practice setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although film-based cameras dominated for much of the time, the rise of digital cameras outside of pathology generated a shift toward digital-image capturing methods, including mounted digital cameras and whole slide digital-slide scanning. Digital image capture techniques have ushered in new applications for slide sharing and second-opinion consultations of unusual or difficult cases in pathology. With their recent surge in popularity, we suspect that smart phone cameras are poised to become a widespread, cost-effective method for pathology image acquisition.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (Dr Morrison); and the Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock (Dr Gardner). Dr Morrison is now located at Cockerell Dermatopathology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas.
authors.forename: Annie O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Jerad M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D020407:Internet / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D010784:Photomicrography / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D019113:Telepathology / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends