title: Comparison of the diagnostic utility of digital pathology systems for telemicrobiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Telemicrobiology is a growing component of clinical microbiology informatics. However, few studies have been performed to assess the diagnostic utility of telemicroscopy systems in evaluating infectious agents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate multiple contemporary digital pathology platforms for use in diagnostic telemicrobiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mix of thirty cases that included viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitological findings were evaluated by four experts using ×40 whole slide imaging (WSI) scans, ×83 oil-immersion WSI scans, ×100 oil-immersion WSI scans, digital photomicrographs, and glass slides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ×83 WSI, ×100 WSI, and photomicrograph interpretations were not significantly different in quality and accuracy when compared to glass slide interpretations. The ×40 WSI interpretations were of lower quality and were more likely to be incorrect when compared to glass slide interpretations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, high magnification, oil-immersion digital pathology platforms are better suited to support telemicrobiology applications and yield interpretations on par with glass slide evaluations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Rhoads
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA; Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Nadia F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Habib-Bein
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Rahman S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hariri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lesniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duboy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Mohamed El-Sayed
authors.initials: Mel-S
authors.lastname: Salama
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA.
authors.forename: Liron
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pantanowitz
keywords: Digital pathology; infectious diseases; microbiology; telemicrobiology; telemicroscopy; whole slide imaging