Awanui Labs integrates digital pathology

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth 

New Zealand's largest community lab provider has implemented a digital pathology system, integrating digital scanners with its in-house laboratory information management system (LIM) to modernise diagnostic processes.

The digital system enables better collaboration, remote working and specialisation for pathologists across the country, as well as increases the safety and effectiveness for reporting of histology specimens.  

Awanui Labs went live with Whole Slide Imaging/ Digital Pathology at its histology laboratory in Dunedin towards the end of 2024 and is now rolling out in Wellington and Christchurch. 

This enables the team to scan and transfer images of a patient’s tissue sample onto a single digital file, which is then uploaded to their system.

Brent Glanville, chief information officer at Awanui Labs, says the organisation integrated Leica digital scanners and eSlide Manager software with its LIM, called Lab Solutions. 

He tells eHealthNews the digital system changes how pathologists receive and process cases, as instead of getting physical glass slides in trays, they now click a button to access the next case from a digital queue.

The integration included modifying the LIM to implement quality control screens to assess whether scanned slides meet diagnostic standards and enhancements to do case assignments.

This change enables greater specialisation as cases can be automatically assigned and directed to pathologists with expertise in areas such as breast, prostate, or bowel cancer diagnostics, Glanville says.

While the digital system adds an extra scanning step to the histology department workflow, it also allows pathologists to collaborate and get second opinions as multiple specialists can view the same slide simultaneously from different locations.

Awanui Labs established a separate network infrastructure to handle the large digital pathology files, which range from one to 1.5 gigabytes per image. It stores images locally in Christchurch with a backup system in Auckland to ensure data security and accessibility.

Glanville says the use of digital pathology provides the foundation for using artificial intelligence in the future, to do things like highlight cells of significance and prioritise cases requiring urgent attention.

"AI will not replace pathologists, but it will speed up the diagnoses and the work that they have to do,” he says.

Anatomical pathologist Michael Lau says use of digital pathology increases the safety and effectiveness for reporting of histology specimens.  

“Direct integration of the two digital scanners into the LIM is a crucial step as this electronically scans and separates the information on each individual specimen case, reducing the risk of reporting the ‘wrong slide’ and a further safety improvement,” says Lau.  

“This will enable our organisation to continue improving the efficiency and quality of our service in the lab and look at how the technology can be applied on a broader scale both across the Awanui network and the wider pathology sector in the future.”

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month

Read more Clinical Software news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page