|
|
| Year : 2009 | Volume
: 52
| Issue : 4 | Page : 586-587 |
|
| Alternative method of digital photography in pathology |
|
|
Chayanika Pantola1, Sanjay Kala2
1 Department of Pathology, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, India
2 Department of General Surgery, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, India
Click here for correspondence address and email
| Date of Web Publication | 1-Oct-2009 |
|
|
 |
|
How to cite this article:
Pantola C, Kala S. Alternative method of digital photography in pathology. Indian J Pathol Microbiol 2009;52:586-7 |
Sir,
Digital photography has enormous potential advantage for histopathologists. It provides instant display of images after capturing, drastically reduces the cost of consumables, allows the simple creation of montages with labeling and annotation and makes production of electronic presentation very simple. However, this process has produced a shift in the distribution of work away from the central department of medical illustration towards individual pathologists without any preparation or training. A survey of pathologists in the UK reveals that although 64% of them had a digital camera attached to their microscope less than 25% had received any training in digital photography. [1]
For photography, specialized digital cameras are available from microscope manufacturers and often they have LCD screen to view images before and after capture of images. These generally work very well but the cost is usually very high. [2]
The non-digital old cameras used for photography in pathology are costly, cumbersome and space-occupying and often need a trained person to operate them. Here we are presenting an easy, affordable, alternative method of photography in pathology which can be used in an ordinary monocular microscope even by an untrained pathologist.
We use Sony Cybershot 6.0 megapixel camera model no DSC-T9. We set the camera in zoom mode and we capture the images by placing the eyepiece of the camera over the eyepiece of the monocular microscope. The images captured are zoomed according to need [Figure 1], [Figure 2]. The images thus obtained can be directly transferred to the computer via fire wire interface. [3] Now it is very easy to integrate these digital images into electronic presentation or to printed photographs. The quality and clarity of photographs are comparable to that obtained by any other microscopic/digital camera.
Microscopic photography is an important tool for pathologists and is used for electronic presentation, for publication purpose and for record maintenance. The usual digital cameras are very costly, often cumbersome and are available at few centers in India. It is seen that some interesting cases or research work, particularly at rural places failed to get published because of the lack of good microscopic photography.
So the conclusion is that this is an affordable, easy and alternative method of photography which does not use a cumbersome, costly and technically difficult photographic camera. It can even be used by a pathologist who is not trained in photography techniques. These photographs can also be used for telepathology purposes in rural centers. [4]
 References | |  |
| 1. | Dennis T, Start RD, Cross SS. The use of digital imaging, video conferencing and telepathology in histopathology; a national survey. J Clin Pathol 2005;58:254-8.  |
| 2. | Cross SS, Stephenson TJ, Start RD. Digital photography in histopathology Recent Advances in histopathology 2005;21:51-69. |
| 3. | Available from: http://www.sonyworld.com . |
| 4. | Cross SS, Dennis T, Start RD. Telepathology: Current status and future prospects in diagnostic histopathology. Histopathology 2002;41:1-109. |
Correspondence Address:
Sanjay Kala
L-21, G.S.V.M. Medical College, Kanpur
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0377-4929.56131
[Figure 1], [Figure 2] |
|
| This article has been cited by | | 1 |
Mobile Technology for the Practice of Pathology |
|
| Douglas J. Hartman | | Advances In Anatomic Pathology. 2016; 23(2): 118 | | [Pubmed] | [DOI] | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
