Cloud Pathology Exchange via Global Dispatcher
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital pathology systems face inefficiencies in distributing and accessing high-resolution images for remote diagnoses, particularly in areas with limited resources, where slides are often lost or broken during transit, and there is a need for rapid diagnostic capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for exchanging pathology studies through a cloud model, utilizing a Global Dispatcher to connect multiple organizations, allowing for progressive transmission of image data based on specified criteria, reducing bandwidth requirements and enabling efficient routing of study review requests across constrained networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If glass slides are physically distributed between physicians and organizations, then high-resolution images can be accessed for diagnosis, but slides are often lost or broken during transit and logistical overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies of pathology slides in the form of high-resolution images and metadata packages. These digital copies are transmitted electronically between organizations via dispatcher services, replacing the need for physical glass slide distribution. This eliminates the risk of slides being lost or broken during transit while maintaining diagnostic quality through progressive image transmission that allows access to high-resolution details.
2Loss of information
If high-resolution images are transmitted in full, then complete diagnostic information is available, but bandwidth requirements increase and transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the high-resolution image data into progressive transmission layers. Instead of transmitting the complete high-resolution image at once, the system transmits lower-resolution versions first for initial review, then progressively transmits higher-resolution segments as needed. This allows diagnosticians to access complete diagnostic information when necessary while reducing bandwidth consumption for preliminary assessments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial transmission of image data by sending only the portions of high-resolution images that are actually needed for diagnosis. The progressive transmission mechanism allows recipients to request specific regions or resolution levels, transmitting only the necessary data rather than the complete high-resolution image, thus reducing bandwidth requirements while maintaining diagnostic capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple organizations are connected to share pathology services, then diagnostic capacity and expertise are expanded, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dispatcher services as intermediary components that manage connections between multiple organizations. These dispatchers handle study routing, recipient identification, and image transmission coordination, shielding individual organizations from the complexity of direct peer-to-peer connections. The cloud model with Global Dispatcher further abstracts this complexity, allowing organizations to join and access services without managing complex network topology.
4Ease of operation
If digital pathology systems are deployed in remote areas with limited resources, then diagnostic access is improved, but bandwidth constraints and data loss risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by transmitting lower-resolution preview images and metadata before full high-resolution images. This allows remote diagnosticians to assess whether a study requires full-resolution review, filtering out cases that can be evaluated at lower quality. The progressive transmission mechanism also prepares and buffers data in advance, reducing the impact of bandwidth constraints and transmission interruptions in remote areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-based method and apparatus to facilitate the exchange of pathology studies for the purpose of providing a primary or secondary pathological diagnosis. A study consists of one or more lower-resolution images, the references to the corresponding higher-resolution images, associated image metadata, study metadata and patient metadata. The studies are exchanged from one organization (hospital, practice, or individual physician) to another organization through a set of interconnected dispatcher services. In a cloud model, a plurality of dispatchers may be connected through a Global Dispatcher, both facilitating the addition of new organizations to the cloud and allowing for the addressing of studies from any organization in the cloud to any organization, group or individual in the cloud. By this means, the originating organization may obtain the desired level of care through the selection of recipient organizations, groups and individuals according to the organization's existing criteria. Efficiency in diagnosis is improved through the addressing of a study to a plurality of qualified recipients, as the first recipient with an appropriate, available resource may review and provide a diagnosis for the study.