Lossless compression of JPEG2000 whole slide images is not required for diagnostic virtual microscopy.

The use of lossy compression in medical imaging is controversial, although it is inevitable to reduce large data amounts. In contrast with lossy compression, lossless compression does not impair image quality. In addition to our previous studies, we evaluated virtual 3-dimensional microscopy using JPEG2000 whole slide images of gastric biopsy specimens with or without Helicobacter pylori gastritis using lossless compression (1:1) or lossy compression with different compression levels: 5:1, 10:1, and 20:1. The virtual slides were diagnosed in a blinded manner by 3 pathologists using the updated Sydney classification. The results showed no significant differences in the diagnosis of H pylori between the different levels of compression in virtual microscopy. We assume that lossless compression is not required for diagnostic virtual microscopy. The limits of lossy compression in virtual microscopy without a loss of diagnostic quality still need to be determined. Analogous to the processes in radiology, recommendations for the use of lossy compression in diagnostic virtual microscopy have to be worked out by pathology societies.