TY - JOUR
T1 - Constructing a local district telepathology network in Japan
T2 - Diagnosis of intraoperative frozen sections via telepathology over an integrated service digital network and the National Television Standard Committee system
AU - Sawai, Takashi
AU - Goto, Kunihiko
AU - Watanabe, Mika
AU - Endoh, Wataru
AU - Ogata, Kazuo
AU - Nagura, Hiroshi
PY - 1999/2
Y1 - 1999/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To construct a local telepathology network between the Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Hospital, and Koritu Kesennuma Hospital, about 150 km away. STUDY DESIGN: Tohoku University Hospital is connected with Koritu Kesennuma Hospital by an integrated service digital network for talepathology using the National Television Standard Committee system. The cases submitted for telepathology were limited to those in which a rapid intraoperative diagnosis was made on frozen sections. RESULTS: At this writing, more than 200 cases were diagnosed during a period of 2.5 years. The cases submitted increased with time, amounting to 150 in 1996. In some cases the use of telepathology proved to be fairly advantageous. For example, in one case a radical operation was avoided because of a diagnosis on intraoperative frozen sections. DISCUSSION: There are problems to be solved before telepathology becomes available for practical use: (1) misdiagnosis due to poor quality of instruments, including the transmission cable and pictures; (2) cost-benefit ratio, (3) protection of patients' privacy, and (4) overwork for pathologists. The Japanese government will officially accept telepathology as a means of medical examination in the future. Despite some problems left, telepathology is a promising technology.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To construct a local telepathology network between the Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Hospital, and Koritu Kesennuma Hospital, about 150 km away. STUDY DESIGN: Tohoku University Hospital is connected with Koritu Kesennuma Hospital by an integrated service digital network for talepathology using the National Television Standard Committee system. The cases submitted for telepathology were limited to those in which a rapid intraoperative diagnosis was made on frozen sections. RESULTS: At this writing, more than 200 cases were diagnosed during a period of 2.5 years. The cases submitted increased with time, amounting to 150 in 1996. In some cases the use of telepathology proved to be fairly advantageous. For example, in one case a radical operation was avoided because of a diagnosis on intraoperative frozen sections. DISCUSSION: There are problems to be solved before telepathology becomes available for practical use: (1) misdiagnosis due to poor quality of instruments, including the transmission cable and pictures; (2) cost-benefit ratio, (3) protection of patients' privacy, and (4) overwork for pathologists. The Japanese government will officially accept telepathology as a means of medical examination in the future. Despite some problems left, telepathology is a promising technology.
KW - Intraoperative period
KW - Pathology, clinical
KW - Telepathology
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M3 - Article
C2 - 10068781
AN - SCOPUS:0032978429
VL - 21
SP - 81
EP - 84
JO - Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology
JF - Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology
SN - 0884-6812
IS - 1
ER -