Colour in digital pathology: a review.
Colour is central to the practice of pathology because of the use of coloured histochemical and immunohistochemical stains to visualize tissue features. Our reliance upon histochemical stains and light microscopy has evolved alongside a wide variation in slide colour, with little investigation into the implications of colour variation. However, the introduction of the digital microscope and whole-slide imaging has highlighted the need for further understanding and control of colour. This is because the digitization process itself introduces further colour variation which may affect diagnosis, and image analysis algorithms often use colour or intensity measures to detect or measure tissue features. The US Food and Drug Administration have released recent guidance stating the need to develop a method of controlling colour reproduction throughout the digitization process in whole-slide imaging for primary diagnostic use. This comprehensive review introduces applied basic colour physics and colour interpretation by the human visual system, before discussing the importance of colour in pathology. The process of colour calibration and its application to pathology are also included, as well as a summary of the current guidelines and recommendations regarding colour in digital pathology.
Department of Histopathology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.|Section of Pathology and Tumour Biology, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Emily L
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7106-9898
EL
Clarke
Department of Histopathology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.|Section of Pathology and Tumour Biology, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Darren
D
Treanor
D003116:Color; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D004396:Coloring Agents
colour calibration; colour standardization; digital pathology; whole slide imaging