Authors' objectives: Do scanned digital images have sufficiently high quality for diagnostic purposes, and does this type of digital pathology also offer further advantages, or have some important disadvantages?

Authors' recommendations: The diagnostic agreement was good for both intraobserver and interobserver comparisons when the two methods were compared. However, it is important to point out that the two diagnostic methods, LM or WSI, have not been studied and compared in terms of important clinical patient outcomes such as disease progression, morbidity and mortality. Thus, presently it is not known whether one of these two methods has a better prognostic impact or diagnostic precision than the other. It is also important to realize that further validation of the diagnostic accuracy of WSI is necessary for each specific organ system as well as for specific types of diagnosis. In this HTA the diagnostic agreement of LM and WSI has only been assessed overall by putting various types of organ systems and diseases together.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2012

URL for published report: http://www.sahlgrenska.se/upload/SU/HTA-centrum/HTA-rapporter/HTA-report%20Diagnostic%20agreement%20of%20digital%20whole%20slide%20imaging%20and%20routine%20light%20microscopy%20till%20publ%202012-12-12.pdf

URL for additional information: http://www.sahlgrenska.se/sv/SU/Forskning/HTA-centrum/Hogerkolumn-undersidor/Publicerade-rapporter/

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Organisation Name: The Regional Health Technology Assessment Centre

Contact Address: The Regional Health Technology Assessment Centre, Region Vastra Gotaland, HTA-centrum, Roda Straket 8, Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset, 413 45 GOTHENBORG, Sweden

Contact Name: hta-centrum@vgregion.se

Contact Email: hta-centrum@vgregion.se

Copyright: The Regional Health Technology Assessment Centre (HTA-centrum), Region Vastra Gotaland