Three giants in imaging collaborate to deliver unrivalled pathology resource

October 12, 2010 – Nikon Instruments UK, Hamamatsu Photonics UK and i-Path have joined forces to create an outstanding educational pathology resource. The system will provide easy web-based access to large collections of high resolution virtual pathology slides for pathology training and assessment. The first systems are now in place in London and currently in the testing phase at the three sites.

Nikon is coordinating the installation process involving Hamamatsu’s NanoZoomer slide scanning systems, and i-Path’s web-based slide storage and access software, PathXL. The aim is to have 20,000 pathology slides available to users. Each slide will be presented with supporting information to provide a comprehensive online learning environment for the ongoing training, external quality assessment (EQA) and continuing professional development of medical staff and students across the three sites.

Three Hamamatsu scanners have been installed at the three sites to digitise selected glass slides, which will then be hosted on i-Path’s remote service. A web interface allows multiple users to share slides at any time and from any location.

“Our collaboration with Hamamatsu and i-Path has enabled the smooth installation of what will be a world-class online educational resource,” says Chay Keogh, Marketing Manager, Nikon Instruments, UK. “We look forward to continuing this unique partnership, enabling us to deliver timely and unrivalled pathology solutions to our customers.”

Digitised slides allow users to view a slide in its entirety and at a number of magnifications in exactly the same way as observation under the microscope. Online slide access has distinct advantages over traditional glass slides in that slides can be accessed simultaneously by several users regardless of location, slides and other resources can be retrieved quickly using online search terms, and digital slides, unlike glass slides, are not subject to deterioration or breakage. Web-based storage, in addition, allows virtually unlimited expansion of the slide resource without file size or storage limitations normally associated with in-house facilities.

Nikon Instruments Europe is based in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. Nikon Instruments is a market leader in optical instrumentation and the only microscope company to manufacture its own glass. With over 90 years’ expertise in the field, Nikon Instruments has always been at the forefront of optical and technological innovation.
Alongside developments in clinical and confocal microscope solutions, Nikon’s digital imaging technologies and software solutions support all microscopy and imaging functions, image management and analysis. The Eclipse Ti series of inverted microscopes, for example, allows the simultaneous mounting of confocal, TIRF module and multiple stacked epi-fluorescence filter turrets to make this microscope the ideal live cell imaging platform. Nikon has pioneered products for the study of live, in situ cellular interactions and is now at the forefront of super resolution microscopy technology.

www.nikoninstruments.eu