Peter Fritz1, Andreas Kleinhans2, Monika Hubler3, Raoufi Rokai4, Haroon Firooz5, Atiq Sediqi6, Anna Khachatryan7, Kambiz Sotoudeh8, David Mamunts9, Munaf Desai10, Mohamed Omer11, Dietmar Kunze12, Nora Hinsch13, Gernot Jundt14, Peter Dalquen14, German Ott1, Al Alaboud Aboud15, Mark-Dominik Alscher2, Gerhard Stauch3. 1. Department of Pathology, Robert Bosch Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany. 2. Department of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Robert Bosch Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany. 3. IPath Telemedicine Network gemeinnützige GmbH, Aurich, Germany. 4. Abu Ali Sina Hospital, Mazari al Sharif, Afghanistan. 5. Firooz Medical Laboratory, Herat, Afghanistan. 6. Mili-Medical Service, Mazari-Al-Sharif, Afghanistan. 7. Department of Pathology, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan, Armenia. 8. Department of Pathology, Jam General Hospital, Teheran, Iran. 9. Department of Pathology, Central Clinical Military Hospital, Yerevan, Armenia. 10. Hospital SGH Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 11. Kabul Pathology Laboratory, Kabul, Afghanistan. 12. Institute of Pathology, University Hospital, TU Dresden, Germany. 13. MVZ Fachbereich Pathologie Lukaskrankenhaus, Neuss, Germany. 14. Department of Dermatopathology, King Faisal Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. 15. Institute of Pathology, University Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We describe the use of telepathology in countries with restricted resources using two diagnosis assistance systems (Isabel and Memem7) in addition to the diagnoses made by experts in pathology via the iPath-Network. METHODS: A total of 156 cases, largely from Afghanistan, were analysed; 18 cases had to be excluded because of poor image quality. RESULTS: Of the remaining 138 cases (100%), a responsible physician provided a tentative diagnosis for 61.6% of them. With a diagnosis from a consultant pathologist, it was then possible to make a definite diagnosis in 84.8% of cases on the basis of images taken from hematoxylin and eosin staining sections alone. The use of the diagnosis assistance systems resulted in an ordered list of differential diagnoses in 82.6% (IsabelHealth) and in 74.6% (Memem7) of cases, respectively. Adding morphological terminology reduced the list of possible diagnoses to 52.2% (72 cases, Memem7), but improved their quality. DISCUSSION: In summary, diagnosis assistance systems are promising approaches to provide physicians in countries with restricted resources with lists of probable differential diagnoses, thus increasing the plausibility of the diagnosis of the consultant pathologist.
INTRODUCTION: We describe the use of telepathology in countries with restricted resources using two diagnosis assistance systems (Isabel and Memem7) in addition to the diagnoses made by experts in pathology via the iPath-Network. METHODS: A total of 156 cases, largely from Afghanistan, were analysed; 18 cases had to be excluded because of poor image quality. RESULTS: Of the remaining 138 cases (100%), a responsible physician provided a tentative diagnosis for 61.6% of them. With a diagnosis from a consultant pathologist, it was then possible to make a definite diagnosis in 84.8% of cases on the basis of images taken from hematoxylin and eosin staining sections alone. The use of the diagnosis assistance systems resulted in an ordered list of differential diagnoses in 82.6% (IsabelHealth) and in 74.6% (Memem7) of cases, respectively. Adding morphological terminology reduced the list of possible diagnoses to 52.2% (72 cases, Memem7), but improved their quality. DISCUSSION: In summary, diagnosis assistance systems are promising approaches to provide physicians in countries with restricted resources with lists of probable differential diagnoses, thus increasing the plausibility of the diagnosis of the consultant pathologist.
Authors: P Fritz; A Kleinhans; R Raoufi; A Sediqi; N Schmid; S Schricker; M Schanz; C Fritz-Kuisle; P Dalquen; H Firooz; G Stauch; M D Alscher Journal: BMC Med Inform Decis Mak Date: 2022-09-24 Impact factor: 3.298
Authors: Gerhard Stauch; Peter Fritz; Rauofi Rokai; Atiq Sediqi; Haroon Firooz; Hans Ullrich Voelker; Michael Weinhara; Joachim Mollin; Bishara Soudah; Peter Dalquen; Friedhelm Brinckmann; Jürgen Dippon Journal: Int J Breast Cancer Date: 2021-07-30