Practical guide to training and validation for primary diagnosis with digital pathology.

Area of Science:

• Digital pathology
• Histopathology
• Clinical diagnostics

Background:

• Clinical pathology departments are increasingly adopting digital pathology systems.
• Ensuring high standards in diagnostic output is crucial during this technological evolution.
• Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has experience scanning 100% of histology slides since 2018.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share a practical approach to training and validation for digital pathology implementation.
• To provide an overview of the Royal College of Pathologists' endorsed training and validation protocol.
• To offer guidance for novice digital pathologists and identify challenging areas in digital reporting.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a training and validation protocol for digital pathology.
• Incorporation of the protocol into Royal College of Pathologists' guidance.
• Creation of a topographical list of diagnostic tasks for digital slide training sets.

Main Results:

• A practical protocol for digital pathology training and validation has been established.
• The protocol is endorsed by the Royal College of Pathologists.
• Guidance and resources are provided to support novice digital pathologists.

Conclusions:

• Effective training and validation are essential for successful digital pathology implementation.
• Standardized protocols ensure the maintenance or improvement of diagnostic standards.
• Comprehensive training sets are vital for developing digital pathology expertise.