Low-cost telepathology system for intraoperative frozen-section consultation: our experience and review of the literature

Abstract

We have established a low-cost noncommercial system of dynamic real-time telepathology for light microscopic diagnosis that was used to aid intradepartmental consultation for frozen-section diagnosis. Fifty cases were performed. For each case, multiple diagnoses were made and compared, namely, those made by the pathologist on duty (D1), by a subspecialist or senior using telepathology (D2), by the same pathologist using a light microscope (D3), and the final diagnosis (D4). A comparison of D1 and D2 revealed that 37 cases (74%) were diagnosed more precisely by D2. In 9 (18%) of 50 cases, there was a positive major impact on the operation as a result of teleconsultation. The results of D2 and D3 showed good agreement (kappa = 0.97). The average time span required for telepathology is short compared with routine intradepartmental consultation. Our experience showed that telepathology is a good tool for frozen-section consultation and imposes little additional cost.