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Digital pathology - implementation challenges in low-resource countries
Paul Fontelo1, John Faustorilla, Alex Gavino
1National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. fontelo@nlm.nih.gov
Background:
Medical education in pathology and histology in low-resource countries face many obstacles because of equipment cost and telecommunication deficiencies. Digital Pathology may provide solutions. We report student experience to virtual slides on a local network and a remote image server.
Methods:
Using an iPad tablet device, fifty 3rd and 4th year medical students viewed digital pathology slides from a Web server at the National Library of Medicine and a mirror server on the local network.
Results:
The quality of images from both servers was found to be satisfactory, but the local server was deemed faster and preferred by the participants in this study (p < 0.005).
Conclusions:
Virtual slides on a local network server may provide solutions to equipment and technical obstacles and could enhance student learning in developing countries.
