Digital pathology opens up new possibilities for pathology laboratories: It can speed up diagnostic processes, improve collaboration between departments, and lay the groundwork for cross-site case review and the use of modern AI applications.
Despite these advantages, many organizations are still in the early stages of their digital transformation. Consequently, there is a significant need for information regarding scanners, workflows, integration, and archiving.
The transition to digital pathology raises many questions. We answer the most important ones and show how the INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution (DPS) can support laboratories in their digital transformation.
SCANNER & COLOR DISPLAY
Which scanners are supported by INFINITT DPS?
The INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution is a vendor-neutral image management system (IMS) that enables the viewing and centralized management of whole-slide images (WSI) from various scanner manufacturers within a unified viewer.
Manufacturers with proprietary support include, among others:
In addition, scanners from other manufacturers can also be integrated, provided they support the DICOM format.
Can different types of scanners be used together for diagnosis?
Yes. Scans from various scanner manufacturers can be viewed, managed, and used for diagnostic purposes within a unified environment. This is made possible by INFINITT DPS’s support for the DICOM standard. As a result, facilities retain flexibility in their choice of scanners and can continue to utilize their existing investments over the long term.
One example is the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul. There, scanners from various manufacturers are used and evaluated simultaneously. Currently, three systems from 3DHISTECH, four from Leica Biosystems, and one from Hamamatsu are in use.
How can color differences between scanners from different manufacturers be corrected?
Color variations may occur between scanners from different manufacturers due to differences in hardware components and image processing methods.
With INFINITT DPS, images from different scanners can be harmonized in the viewer, making them easier to compare with one another. Predefined color profiles can be stored for individual scanner models and automatically applied in the viewer.
Consistent color representation improves the comparability of images from different sources and supports reliable diagnostic assessment.
WORKFLOW & AI
How does INFINITT DPS integrate into existing systems and workflows?
The INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution can be flexibly adapted to the needs of any institution. For example, the existing workflow can initially remain unchanged while DPS is implemented as a supplement. This allows users to begin with digital image viewing and gradually integrate additional features. Alternatively, INFINITT DPS can be used as a fully digital, vendor-neutral platform for viewing, managing, archiving, and collaborating, thereby comprehensively digitizing existing pathology workflows. The specific scope of functions is tailored individually to the requirements of each institution.
How does INFINITT DPS integrate with existing LIS, HIS, and EMR systems?
INFINITT DPS was developed for integration into existing pathology and hospital IT environments. Integration typically takes place via standardized interfaces such as HL7 and DICOM, as well as through custom integrations when needed.
Once the integration is complete, LIS, KIS/EMR, and DPS can automatically exchange relevant information. This includes, among other things:
Using barcode-based processes, scanned slides are automatically assigned to the correct case. The digital slides are then available to the responsible pathologist in their worklist. Thanks to this tight integration, the pathologist has all relevant information in one central location: clinical data, digital slides, findings, and case histories. This helps reduce media discontinuities and duplicate work, and makes diagnostic processes more efficient.
If certain information is not available electronically, test requests, accompanying documents, or notes from pathology assistants can be scanned and linked directly to the respective case.
Since every laboratory has its own unique processes and system environments, integration is planned accordingly and tailored to the specific requirements. DPS can therefore be used both as a supplement to existing systems and as part of a fully digital pathology workflow.
How are microscope slides assigned?
The assignment of digital slides is typically automated through barcode-based processes and integration with the laboratory information system (LIS). After scanning, the digital slides are automatically assigned to the respective case and made available to the responsible pathologist via worklists. This eliminates the time-consuming manual distribution of glass slides. Cases can be processed faster, more efficiently, and from any location.
Is it difficult for pathologists to switch from the microscope to DPS?
In most cases, the transition is manageable—though, as with any new technology, there is a certain learning curve. Pathologists have often been working with light microscopes for many years. When switching to digital reporting, it is primarily the tools that change, not the fundamental principles of diagnosis. Instead of glass slides and a microscope, digital whole-slide images are viewed, magnified, measured, and annotated on a screen. The viewer functions of DPS were designed to closely mirror established diagnostic workflows, thereby facilitating the transition to digital diagnosis.
Can we use our own structured forms for reporting findings?
Yes. Existing report templates and structured forms can be integrated into DPS.
For example, Samsung Medical Center plans to use a structured report form to document colorectal cancer findings.
The goal is to enable pathologists to use their preferred documentation structures while taking advantage of the benefits of digital pathology.
Which third-party AI solutions can be integrated into DPS?
INFINITT DPS enables the integration of a wide range of AI applications from leading third-party providers. The specific solutions available depend on clinical requirements and the respective system configuration.
Examples of integrable AI solutions include Visiopharm, a provider of software for AI-assisted precision pathology. The solution integrates seamlessly into the digital pathology workflow. Other AI applications used in everyday clinical practice include HALO from Indica Labs at IUHW in Japan and AIVIS at Samsung Medical Center (SMC) in South Korea.
How does AI support the workflow with INFINITT DPS?
In the INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution, AI is not only available through third-party applications but also supports the workflow directly within the platform. Features such as automatic slide alignment (auto-orientation) and AI-based calculation of the Ki-67 index for breast cancer help automate routine tasks and increase efficiency in day-to-day laboratory work.
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT & ARCHIVING
How does DPS archive digital slides?
DPS archives digital pathology images in a standardized DICOM format. This allows images from different scanner manufacturers to be stored in a central archive and processed further regardless of the original scanner. Modern DICOM compression methods can reduce storage requirements without compromising the diagnostic utility of the images.
The data can be integrated into existing PACS, VNA, and hospital IT systems and managed over the long term.
In short: DPS does not rely on proprietary scanner formats, but rather on the open DICOM standard. This lays the foundation for interoperability, long-term availability, and more efficient use of storage resources.
What role does the DICOM standard play in digital pathology?
In digital pathology, DICOM serves a similar function to the one it has performed in radiology for decades.
The standard establishes a vendor-neutral foundation for the storage, exchange, and display of image data. This enables scanners, viewers, PACS, VNA, and analysis platforms from different vendors to communicate with one another. Without DICOM, many solutions are limited to closed, proprietary ecosystems. DICOM is therefore an important foundation for open, interoperable, and long-term future-proof digital pathology.
Do DICOM images need to be converted back to TIFF or their original scanner format for analysis?
No.
While older scanners, viewers, and analysis applications often lacked DICOM support, modern digital pathology systems can process DICOM files directly. If necessary, DPS still allows for conversion back to the original file format. However, the industry is increasingly moving toward DICOM as a cross-vendor standard for the storage, exchange, and analysis of digital pathology images.
Can DPS reduce memory usage by more than 40%?
Yes.
By using the DICOM standard and modern compression methods, storage requirements can be significantly reduced compared to conventional archiving approaches while maintaining comparable image quality. The planned support for DICOM JPEG XL can reduce the file size of whole-slide images (WSI)—and thus also the storage requirements for long-term archiving—by more than 40%. This reduces the demands on storage and backup systems and has the potential to lower total cost of ownership.
Is a backup required? How does this affect the costs?
Whether a backup is required depends on the legal, regulatory, and internal requirements of the respective organization.
From a technical standpoint, DPS does not necessarily require a complete backup of all digital slides. Institutions can flexibly determine whether to back up all images or only selected cases and slides. In addition, different compression levels can be used to reduce storage requirements. This flexibility can help lower total cost of ownership compared to traditional archiving approaches.
CONCLUSION:
Digital pathology is increasingly becoming an integral part of modern pathology laboratories. With the INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution, facilities gain an open, vendor-neutral platform for viewing, managing, reporting on, and archiving digital slides.
Thanks to support from leading scanner manufacturers, integration with existing LIS, HIS, and EMR systems, and DICOM-based archiving, laboratories can implement their digitization strategy step by step in a future-proof manner. At the same time, DPS lays the foundation for telepathology, cross-site collaboration, and the use of AI-supported analysis methods.
Every laboratory has its own unique requirements. That is why INFINITT DPS can be flexibly adapted to existing processes and IT environments and further developed to meet the future needs of pathology.
Would you like to learn more about the INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution or find out how it can be integrated into your existing IT environment?
For more information about the INFINITT Digital Pathology Solution, click here.
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