At the 2011 AACC (American Association for Clinical Chemistry) Annual Meeting, in Atlanta, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) will introduce online imaging technology, DigitalScope, for use in its laboratory proficiency testing (Surveys) programs in 2012. The first product to benefit from the technology, Virtual Peripheral Blood Smear (VPBS), is scheduled to ship on August 1, 2011.
The CAP Surveys Program is the world’s largest laboratory peer-comparison program in which the CAP provides individual laboratories with unknown specimens for testing. Participants analyze the specimens and return the results for inter-laboratory evaluation. In turn, each laboratory receives an individual performance report and a summary report of the results of all participating laboratories.
The CAP is partnering with Proficiency Testing Service (PTS), which owns and developed DigitalScope, for use of the technology in several Surveys in multiple laboratory disciplines, including anatomic aathology, andrology, bacteriology, clinical microscopy, cytology, hematology, microbiology, mycology, and parasitology.
“DigitalScope is similar to a ‘Google Earth’ for slides,” said Nick Serafy, PTS President and Chief Executive Officer. “Scanned whole slide images appear on a computer screen in a manner strikingly close to viewing through a microscope. It eliminates any ‘tiling’ as the user navigates the image.”
Source: Press Release
