Digital Pathology View Synchronization Without Screen-Sharing Lag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current collaborative review systems for digital pathology face challenges such as low-resolution image transmission, significant lag time, difficulty in indicating specific areas of interest, complex workflow integration, and inefficient case management, which hinder accurate and efficient diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables real-time collaboration by transmitting high-resolution digital pathology images through zoom level, viewport rotation, and cursor coordinates, allowing practitioners to synchronize their views without sharing full video data, and incorporating AI integration and case management features for efficient review.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If screen sharing applications are used for collaborative review, then collaboration is enabled, but image resolution is reduced and critical detail is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the necessary viewing parameters (zoom level, viewport rotation, cursor coordinates) rather than the entire image data. This allows practitioners to view high-resolution images locally while sharing only the essential viewing state information, maintaining both image quality and collaboration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of sharing the actual image data through screen sharing applications, the system creates and shares a simplified representation (copy) of the viewing state containing only metadata parameters. This copy enables collaboration without compromising the original high-resolution image quality.
2Ease of operation
If screen sharing applications are used for collaborative review, then collaboration is enabled, but lag time increases and real-time interaction is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential viewing parameters needed for collaboration rather than transmitting full screen data. This extraction of minimal necessary information (zoom level, rotation, cursor coordinates) dramatically reduces transmission time and eliminates the lag associated with traditional screen sharing, enabling real-time interaction.
3Reliability
If traditional collaborative systems are used, then basic review is possible, but workflow integration is complex and requires multiple applications
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple previously separate functions (image viewing, annotation, case management, AI integration) into a single unified collaborative review platform. This consolidation maintains reliable review functionality while simplifying the workflow by eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The collaborative review system is designed with multi-functionality, serving as a universal platform that handles image viewing, annotation, case management, and AI findings integration all in one interface. This universality reduces device complexity and streamlines the overall workflow.
4Measurement precision
If high-resolution images are shared through network transmission, then image quality is maintained, but network bandwidth is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the minimal necessary data for collaboration - the viewing parameters (zoom level, viewport rotation, cursor coordinates) - rather than the entire high-resolution image data. This extraction approach maintains image quality by allowing local viewing of full-resolution images while consuming minimal network bandwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a lightweight copy containing only the viewing state metadata rather than duplicating the full image data. This metadata copy enables high-resolution image sharing without the network bandwidth consumption that would result from transmitting actual image files.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for collaborative review of digital pathology images. The method may include initiating a collaboration session including a plurality of practitioners on an electronic network, receiving an indication of one or more digital pathology images to be reviewed in the collaboration session from a first session instance associated with a first practitioner, providing the indication to at least a second session instance associated with a second practitioner, receiving viewing data including zoom level, viewport rotation, and cursor coordinates associated with the first session instance, the viewing data not including video data, and providing the viewing data to at least the second session instance.