Aspects of standardization in telepathology.

Effective telepathology is only possible, if the partners are supplied by a broad variety of equipment connected by far-spread communication lines. These prerequisites can only be fulfilled if technical and medical standards are available obligate for all participants. The technical and medical aspects of those standards are described in general and include procedures and notations in pathology, standards of the image source, image sampling, clinical information, classification of diagnosis, communication channels, hard- and software equipment. New standards should only be developed for those not existing, or if the already existing ones are not appropriate. The standardization classes should allow flexible formats and be developed as "open modules" allowing "individual" peripheral work stations and progressive development in the future.