SPOT Imaging Solutions, a leading national supplier of scientific imaging equipment, is pleased to announce that they have been appointed an authorized Carl Zeiss microscope dealer in the USA.  The addition of the Zeiss microscopes rounds out SPOT Imaging Solutions’ extensive portfolio of high quality instruments for bioresearch, industrial, education and clinical laboratories.  

Carl Zeiss microscopes are well known for their exceptional optics, innovative design and long life.  Upright, inverted and stereo microscopes from Carl Zeiss are an investment that will prove their worth for years to come.

The Carl Zeiss microscopes are available from local SPOT Imaging Solutions imaging specialists across the country, who configure complete systems to meet your laboratory’s specific application and budget.  SPOT imaging specialists provide installation, training and support for the system, making it simple and easy to get great value.

View the Carl Zeiss Microscopes from SPOT Imaging Solutions online.

Contact SPOT Imaging Solutions

Web: http://www.spotimaging.com

Email: info@spotimaging.com

Phone: 1-866-604-SPOT

Wetzlar, Germany / New Mexico, USA –21 June, 2012

Leica Microsystems, world-leading providers of Total Digital Pathology solutions, and Indica Labs, developing excellence in image analysis for Digital Pathology, today announce the integration of Indica Labs advanced image analysis algorithm portfolio into Leica Microsystems digital pathology solution. Users of the Leica Microsystems Tissue IA product can now source from Indica Labs, a range of image analysis algorithms, providing solutions to many diverse tissue-based quantification applications.

Indica Labs image analysis algorithms for molecular assay and morphological feature detection and quantification in whole slide images, coupled with Leica Microsystems’ Tissue IA, provides an easy to use solution for complex image analysis problems in Digital Pathology. Leica Microsystems Tissue IA software is a key component of the Total Digital Pathology portfolio and enables the analysis of whole slide images at the touch of a button. The Indica Labs range, including algorithms for neurobiology, toxicological pathology and brightfield ISH, can now be seamlessly integrated with Leica’s Tissue IA, providing a powerful, yet easy-to-use solution for a broad range of targeted applications. Furthermore, custom image analysis algorithms can be developed by Indica Labs to meet users’ varied and specific requirements, facilitating true flexibility in analysis options.

Donal O’Shea, Head of Digital Pathology in Leica Microsystems says, “Leica Microsystems remain committed to our open and collaborative approach with third party vendors in the digital pathology market. This collaboration with Indica Labs provides additional choice for our Digital Pathology customers in translational research and biopharma, allowing them engage with a specialist vendor to seek high end image analysis capability, while leveraging the underlying power of Leica Microsystems Digital Pathology solution.”

Indica Labs image analysis solutions are developed with a key focus on the end users’ requirements, providing meaningful output data for publications, reports and studies. With particular focus and experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Indica’s analysis solutions “provide a unique complement to Leica product line.” remarked Indica CEO, Steven Hashagen. “Together we’ve been able to achieve a truly seamless integration which will allow Leica users to access Indica’s large portfolio of precision image analysis  tools within the familiar Tissue IA workflow.”

While Leica will continue to develop and expand their  existing range of Digital Pathology image analysis solutions, including Tissue IA and the Ariol system,  the integration with Indica Labs give additional options to customers, enabling them to choose the  analysis solution that is right for their needs. 

Visit the Leica Microsystems Booth at the Society of  Toxicological Pathology (STP) 2012 Annual Meeting for more information.

About Leica Microsystems
Leica Microsystems is a world leader in microscopes and scientific instruments. Founded as a family business in the nineteenth century, the company’s history was marked by unparalleled innovation on its way to becoming a global enterprise. Its historically close cooperation with the scientific community is the key to Leica Microsystems’ tradition of innovation, which draws on users’ ideas and creates solutions tailored to their requirements. At the global level, Leica Microsystems is organized in four divisions, all of which are among the leaders in their respective fields: the Life Science Division, Industry Division, Biosystems Division and Medical Division. Leica Microsystems' Biosystems Division, also known as Leica Biosystems, offers histopathology laboratories the most extensive product range with appropriate products for each work step in histology and for a high level of productivity in the working processes of the entire laboratory. The company is represented in over 100 countries with 12 manufacturing facilities in 7 countries, sales and service organizations in 19 countries and an international network of dealers. The company is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany. Further information can be found at http://www.leicamicrosystems.com
Leica – Total Digital Pathology

About Indica Labs
Indica Labs is the first company to offer tissue specific and application specific image analysis algorithms in a truly integrated digital pathology environment. Pharmaceutical, healthcare, and research organizations worldwide utilize Indica tools for high-throughput, whole-slide image quantification in areas such as neuroscience, metabolism, oncology, toxicological pathology, and more. For more information, please visit http://indicalab.com
Indica – Informed Pathology

Source: Leica Microsystems and Indica Labs

New Definiens Image Miner™ 2 tightly integrates data mining with image analysis to streamline the knowledge-generation process

Munich, Germany, June 21, 2012 / B3C newswire / - Definiens^®, the leading provider of image analysis and data mining solutions for quantitative digital pathology, today announced the release of Definiens Image Miner™ 2. The new product provides researchers in the life sciences with deeper insights into underlying biology by integrating image with data analysis. Image Miner 2 makes the wealth of information in biomedical images accessible, accelerating life sciences research and allowing for successful biomarker development.

By supporting highly effective data exploration and study results, the duration of image-based studies can be reduced from weeks to days. Definiens Image Miner 2 provides researchers with the unique ability to easily switch between investigating trends and patterns in large data sets and drawing attention to subtle analysis details in single images. Using the statistic toolbox and the comprehensive visualization options, insights and new knowledge can be generated from images in an unprecedented way. In combination with Definiens image analysis solutions, Image Miner facilitates the processing of even very large data sets.

“For the first time in this industry workflows are available that allow researchers to unlock the information and knowledge residing in images in a highly productive manner.” says Thomas Heydler, CEO of Definiens. “Biomedical images are a vast, often untapped source of information and represent big data at the same time. Up to this point they often have not been available for detailed analysis. By turning images into computational information, Definiens supports researchers in their endeavors to efficiently develop novel biomarkers, drugs and diagnostics.” 

With seamless links between readouts and underlying images, related target structures are only a mouse-click away from relevant data points. Image Miner 2 supports predictive modeling by correlating image analysis results with data from other sources, such as patient outcome data in the development of predictive biomarkers. Interactive plots and data tables provide real-time feedback on study trends, while quality control and assay validation are facilitated by instant identification of outliers and artifacts.

For more information on Definiens Image Miner 2, sign up for the introductory launch webinar, and find examples illustrating how Definiens Image Miner 2 supports tissue-based biomarker development or high content screening, respectively.

Link to the press release

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About Definiens
Definiens is the leading provider of image analysis and data mining solutions for quantitative digital pathology in the life sciences, diagnostic biomarkers and healthcare industries. Definiens software provides detailed readouts from whole tissue slides, cell-based assays and full body scans and allows correlating this information with data derived from other sources. By automating analysis workflows, Definiens helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, research institutions, clinical service organizations and pathologists to generate new knowledge and supports better decisions in research, diagnostics and therapy. Definiens’ vision is to open new fields of research, to contribute to development of personalized medicine and to significantly improve the quality of patients’ lives.

Definiens is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and has offices throughout the United States.

LOS ANGELES and SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTC: MMRF) and Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc., the market leader in document imaging scanners, announced today a strategic alignment to assist physicians in smaller practices to efficiently digitize their medical records and start to meet the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act's meaningful use requirement to provide patients timely online access to their medical records by the end of 2014.

To help physicians convert from paper-based record-keeping to computerized health records, MMRPro, MMRGlobal's premiere scanning and Web-based document management technology, is now integrated with the Fujitsu ScanSnap N1800 Network Scanner. Utilizing a proprietary interface created by DocuFi™, the document imaging solution offers smaller physician offices, community hospitals and surgery centers the ability to digitize, store, manage and share medical records without making the significant investment required while transitioning to a full-blown EMR system. MMRPro is also designed with an integrated patient portal, MMRPatientView, and includes the MMR Stimulus Program, which allows doctors the opportunity to earn administrative reimbursements when their patients upgrade from the free portal to a full-featured patented MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record. 

"Deploying our network scanning strategy for healthcare providers is seamless to the way an office operates with paper. Additionally, the learning curve to scan, archive and share documents across a physician's office or in a small hospital is minimal," said Marni Carmichael, director of business development, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. "We're excited to be a part of offering MMRPro to physicians to help them cost-effectively transition from paper to electronic records to improve their overall workflow and patient care."

"Fujitsu has a history of providing quality document imaging solutions to its customers," said Robert H. Lorsch, MMRGlobal Chairman and CEO. "The integration of our patented document imaging system provides physician offices with the necessary tools to easily and affordably digitize their documents in an electronic format and have the ability to securely access patient records remotely using an Internet-connected device, including their iPad."

The Fujitsu ScanSnap N1800 Network Scanner is designed to simplify document collaboration for all types of organizations, including small and midsize businesses (SMBs), groups within an enterprise and across the front office to the back office. The latest network scanner added to the award-winning line of Fujitsu ScanSnap scanning solutions offers new tools to make digitizing documents simple and specialized training unnecessary, enhanced security features to combat the threat of data compromise, and added flexibility to easily create customizable interface screens for a consistent user experience. 

"Our relationship with MMRGlobal and Fujitsu brings a highly automated solution to the patient records management world using ImageRamp™ for MMRGlobal," said Dave Wilson, president and CEO of DocuFi. "ImageRamp enables touch screen use of the Fujitsu ScanSnap N1800 Network Scanner to provide intelligent reading and xml formatting of patient medical records, stored in 2-D barcode form. Users of any skill level can now easily capture medical records into a cloud or SaaS EMR infrastructure."

Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1eT2R)

Definiens thanks all participants of the 3rd International Definiens Symposium last week in Munich for inspiring presentations, fruitful discussions and an stimulating atmosphere. We enjoyed meeting you and exchanging ideas during plenary sessions, workshops, coffee breaks and the evening events.

We will shortly publish additional images and recordings from the presentations.

Thanks for joining us in Munich!

Happtique jumps from selling apps to vetting them

Courtesy of and via FierceMobileHealthcare

Finally! That was my first thought when app store Happtique announced last week that it planned not only to sell health apps, but also to certify their efficacy. It's something I've written about before, and a process I'm excited to see play out.

FierceMobileHealthcare talked with three of the four individuals who have been enlisted to create the certification program for Happtique--Howard Luks, an orthopedic surgeon and professor at New York Medical College; Shuva Roy, the biomedical microdevices director for University of California, San Francisco; and Dave deBronkart, a health blogger and the consumer-facing specialist of the group--who indicated that they're scheduled to hold their first meeting in two to three weeks to sketch out the initial shape of the program, which is due to Happtique by July.

To start, I asked if the program will provide a simple seal of approval, or actually deliver granular grading or rating information. The answer, I was happy to hear, was the latter. Luks said the idea is to provide a grading system that will be attached to all apps in the Happtique store, showing where an app performed well, and where it fell short.

Next, I asked if the program will test actual products, with physicians or tech specialists getting hands-on with individual apps, or if it will certify the design and development process of the app. It's a question all three of the panelists had been pondering, but haven't reached a clear answer yet. Luks and Roy did acknowledge that true product testing could be a herculean undertaking with tens of thousands of health apps already on the market, and more emerging every day.

Corey Ackerman, Happtique's founder, however, told GigaOM last week that he envisioned "a set of standards for apps judged by actual doctors who treat that issue. For example, oncologists won't review diabetes apps." So the scale might be tipping toward a program that actually test-drives apps before certifying them.

With regard to exactly what the panel will be certifying, they said that those decisions won't be made until at least their first meeting. They indicated, though, they're looking to include criteria for app quality, reliability, usability, consumer engagement, value to the user, cost, simplicity, and interoperability.

The panelists were adamant about having a strong clinical element to evaluate the medical viability of apps. "We're looking for evidence-based medicine, proven algorithms, mobile health guides that offer the patient or the enterprise realistic guidance, and realistic, actionable information," Luks said.

Reliability was a key concern, as well. The program will need carefully examine rates of false positive or negative results, incorrect data collection, mistakes in algorithms, or even full app failures, Roy said.

Security, too, was on the panelists' minds. The program will need to determine core security measures such as encryption and password protections, but also evaluate an app's vulnerability to mal- or spyware, and the security of any stored data.

The program may even go so far as to vet the interoperability of apps, determining which can be used on different devices and platforms, and possibly how they interface with different downstream systems such as EHRs, according to Roy.

What's more, the panelists indicated that they also want to include criteria to weed out apps with any significant conflicts of interest. For example, apps from pharmaceutical companies that drive users to their newest drugs would get a big red flag.

Still, while the panelists had strong feelings about many of these criteria, they stressed that the process is wide open yet, and none of these particulars will be nailed down until they've had a few meetings.

Ultimately, I see a huge upside to an app certification program for the healthcare industry. But I also see a huge challenge facing this panel, one they'll be hard-pressed to hurdle in the short six-month window they've been given. I'll certainly be keeping up with our panelists in the coming months to see how things progress. - Sara

Read more: Happtique jumps from selling apps to vetting them - FierceMobileHealthcare http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/happtique-jumps-selling-apps-vetting-them/2012-01-17?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal#ixzz1yF1lzHhE 

Subscribe: http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/signup?sourceform=Viral-Tynt-FierceMobileHealthcare-FierceMobileHealthcare

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., June 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamamatsu's NanoZoomer whole-slide scanners help make Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's (CSHL) Mouse Brain Architecture Project a success by imaging thousands of mouse brain tissue slices. The Mouse Brain Architecture Project is an ongoing endeavor to map neural connectivity in the mouse brain using a systematic, high-throughput process. This process involves labeling a mouse brain region with suitable neuronal tracers, followed by tissue imaging using Hamamatsu's NanoZoomer2.0-HT whole-slide scanners, and then 3D reconstruction of the scanned 2D images. The project's accumulated images can be found online at http://brainarchitecture.org/mouse/about. New images will be continually added to the website.

Since the project's start in 2009, two NanoZoomer2.0-HT scanners have imaged over 400,000 slide-mounted tissues and proven their reliability. The scanners convert glass slides into digital slides quickly and accurately, generating high-quality digital images. The NanoZoomer scanners allow for fast, robust scanning by leveraging our proprietary designs in sensors, auto-focus implementation, slide-handling and easy to understand and navigate user interface. Other features include a Z-stack function to accommodate thicker tissue samples, copy and share capabilities, secure storage of images, and network and database interface support.

For more information about the NanoZoomer whole-slide scanners, including pricing and delivery time, please call Hamamatsu Corporation at 1-800-524-0504 or visit the company's website, http://sales.hamamatsu.com.

About Hamamatsu Corporation
Hamamatsu Corporation is the North American subsidiary of Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan), a leading manufacturer of devices for the generation and measurement of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. These devices include photodiodes, photomultiplier tubes, scientific light sources, infrared detectors, photoconductive detectors, and image sensors. The parent company is dedicated to the advancement of photonics through extensive research. This corporate philosophy results in state-of-the-art products which are used throughout the world in scientific, industrial, and commercial applications. 

Information furnished by Hamamatsu Corporation is believed to be reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed for possible inaccuracies or omissions. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1ezrm)

And here it is -- offered by The State of New York -- A Director of Digital Pathology position. To my knowledge, I haven't seen too many jobs for "Director of Digital Pathology".

It looks like the position is being offered by SUNY Upstate Medical Center.  The position requires a MS in Computer Engineering/Medical Informatics or relevant field with a minumum of 5 years work experience and MBA strongly preferred.  

Now the cool part -- project management, review and assessment of current and future information systems, leadership future pathology IT investments AND coordination of integration initiatives to EPIC and other EMRS!

And the really cool part -- the position will also be responsible for implementation of a state-of-the-art Digital Pathology system which will be integrated to large physician practices and hospitals.

Sounds like Syracuse has some big plans for Digital Pathology within their healthcare delivery system.  

Look forward to deliverables to come from whoever accepts this opportunity and challege.

More information.

 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

7:00 am Pacific Time / 10:00 am Eastern Time
(3:00 pm London GMT / 9:00 am Mexico City CDT)

Presenter: Dr. Kai Hartmann, Definiens

Definiens Tissue Studio^® is now available as part of Aperio ePathology Solutions. By creating a tight integration between the Aperio eSlide Manager™ and Definiens Tissue Studio and Developer platforms, researchers now have access to the most comprehensive image analysis and data management solution available today.

In this webinar, Dr. Hartmann will discuss how Definiens and Aperio PRECISION tools can be utilized for quantitative assessment of tissues in preclinical safety studies. Solutions for measuring stain intensity, quantifying morphological features of cells and cellular structures, describing spatial relationships, and mining and reporting data will be presented. Definiens image and data analysis has been shown to reduce study time, increase scoring efficiency, accuracy and objectivity and to relieve the pathologist from tedious, routine tasks.

To register for this Aperio ePathology Solutions webinar click here.

About Aperio
Aperio ePathology Solutions are transforming the practice of pathology. The NETWORK enables remote, simultaneous, real-time viewing and distribution for consults and collaboration, while the PRECISION tools empower pathologists with advanced analytic capabilities. To learn more, visit us at http://www.aperio.com

Telemedicine has truly become a global industry. According to a report by BCC Research, the global telemedicine market reached $11.6 billion in 2011, and is expected to triple to $27.3 billion by 2016. In the U.S., the passage of new health insurance laws has sparked an increased focus on the use of telemedicine as a tool to reduce healthcare costs and streamline patient care. Telemedicine technologies can help healthcare providers meet the expected increase in demand for medical care without causing unnecessary delays in treatment or requiring cutbacks in other areas. With the use of telecare devices, software and services, physicians can diagnose and treat patients quickly and efficiently – from anywhere in the world.

TUCSON, Ariz., June 13, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (Ventana), a member of the Roche Group, today announces commercial availability of the VENTANA iScan HT slide scanner(1) in North America to be followed by Europe, the Middle East and Africa in July, 2012.

"The launch of the VENTANA iScan HT scanner is a significant milestone for the pathology industry. Digital pathology can increase diagnostic confidence, reduce subjectivity and ultimately improve patient care with consistent and reproducible results," says Mara G. Aspinall, President of Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. "This newest instrument exemplifies the latest advancements in digital technology that I believe will continue to transform the industry."

The VENTANA iScan HT slide scanner is the most powerful high-throughput brightfield scanner in the anatomic pathology market today, enabling pathologists and lab managers to optimize their digital pathology workflow with efficiency, convenience, speed, throughput and reliability for unprecedented results.

"I have put the VENTANA iScan HT through its paces in a thorough evaluation and find the instrument produces crisp, sharp digital images at both 20X and 40X. The intuitive user interface and consistently accurate detection of regions of interest provide a practical whole slide scanner for walk-away scanning in high volume environments," says Dr. John W. Bishop M.D., Sacramento, California.

Incorporating cutting-edge optical focus and slide handling technologies, the VENTANA iScan HT features include:

Unprecedented throughput: the new system holds up to 360 slides and scans up to 80 slides per hour

Superior quality images at 20X and 40X (580 and 1160 times actual magnification respectively)

Intuitive, efficient and flexible workflow management, enabling a lab manager to load and unload slides while the scanner is in active operation

"Pathology labs clearly have a need for a high throughput scanner. They work with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of glass slides a day," says Steve Burnell, Ph.D., Ventana Digital Pathology and Workflow Lifecycle Leader. "The growing VENTANA portfolio of integrated digital solutions including slide scanners, CE-IVD and FDA-cleared algorithms and VIRTUOSO image management and workflow software, underscores our commitment to providing the most innovative and advanced digital pathology solutions available globally."

The VENTANA iScan HT slide scanner is ideal for high throughput, high volume applications and complements the VENTANA complete suite of digital pathology solutions which also includes the iScan Coreo Au slide scanner, VIRTUOSO image and workflow management software, and a portfolio of RUO, CE-IVD and FDA-cleared 510(k) image analysis algorithms. The iScan Coreo Au slide scanner best supports low to mid-volume pathology labs and specific applications such as frozen sections. Both the VENTANA iScan HT and the iScan Coreo Au slide scanners are integrated with VIRTUOSO for complete workflow management software functionality from image acquisition through reporting.

The VENTANA iScan HT instrument was showcased at CAP 2011 and USCAP 2012. For more information, visit http://www.ventanadigitalpathology.com

(1) The VENTANA iScan HT slide scanner is for research use only in the US and is not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.

Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. ("VMSI") (six:RO)(six:ROG)(otcqx:RHHBY), a member of the Roche Group, innovates and manufactures instruments and reagents that automate tissue processing and slide staining for cancer diagnostics. VENTANA solutions are used in clinical histology and drug development research laboratories worldwide. The company's intuitive, integrated staining, workflow management platforms, and digital pathology solutions optimize laboratory efficiencies to reduce errors, support diagnosis and inform treatment decisions for anatomic pathology professionals. Together with Roche, VMSI is driving Personalized Healthcare through accelerated drug discovery and the development of "companion diagnostics" to identify the patients most likely to respond favorably to specific therapies. Visit http://www.ventana.com to learn more.

via MarketWatch

We are looking for an experienced researcher to join OncoMark Limited (http://www.oncomark.com). Our offices are based at NovaUCD, which is a Technology Transfer and Innovation Centre at University College Dublin, Ireland (http://www.ucd.ie/nova). OncoMark is currently involved in an EU funded project entitled ‘Fast-Tracking Pathology via Automated Image Analysis and High-Performance Computing: Application to Prostate Cancer Diagnostics’ or FAST-PATH. This project is a Marie-Curie Industry-Academia Pathways and Partnership (IAPP) project, and involves 5 other partners around Europe.

Description

The researcher recruited to OncoMark will perform aspects of this project and will be responsible for developing and applying automated image analysis approaches for quantitation of prognostic biomarkers in prostate cancer. The researcher be involved in tailoring current proprietary algorithms for this specific project, and be a key driver in the commercial development of this software. The fellow will also be responsible for scanning of glass slides to create digital slides and performing automated image analysis. FAST-PATH is centred on taking advantage of the convergence between image informatics, high performance computing and tissue diagnostics, which is central to the emergent arena of digital pathology. Our consortium brings a range of advanced digital pathology expertise and approaches from both academic and industrial sectors to address some of the key issues in prostate cancer diagnostics.

Nr of positions available : 1

Research Fields

Biological sciences - Biology

Career Stage

Experienced researcher or 4-10 yrs (Post-Doc) 

Research Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2) 

Comment/web site for additional job details

Minimum Requirements:
- BSc in biological discipline or computer science
Jobs - EURAXESS - European Commission Page 1 of 5
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/jobDetails/33763943 21/03/2012
- MSc or PhD
- >4 years full-time research experience (including time spent doing post-graduate degree)
- Proven experience of image analysis algorithm development and computer programming (knowledge of C++ a requirement)
Desired:
- Knowledge of histology or tissue structure an advantage
- Knowledge of histological techniques (immunohistochemistry, tissue microarrays etc.)
- Ability to multi-task and work on different projects simultaneously
- Highly effective verbal and written communications skills
- Self-motivated and driven
- Experience working as part of a team
- Fast learner that requires minimal supervision
- Willingness to travel abroad to interact with collaborators and partners
Eligibility:
For recruitment under the Marie Curie IAPP, there are several rules regarding mobility:
• Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Ireland for more than 12 months in the last 3 years.
Contract:
- 1 year in OncoMark, Dublin, Ireland
Possible start date: May/June 2012
Salary: Salary subject to experience
Contact: To apply for this position please send a comprehensive CV and Cover Letter to jobs@oncomark.com.

Courtesy of The European Commission

This is an old joke but a recent experience with a surgeon taking out a long segment of bowel worried about a tumor without mentioning a site for the tumor or a solid reason why he thought there was a tumor reminded me of how true this can sometimes can be.

An internist, a surgeon and a pathologist decided that they were working too hard and that they should go duck hunting together.

A couple of mornings later found them sitting in a duck blind waiting for the birds. Pretty soon a bird appeared on the horizon.

The internist watched it carefully as it came over and said, "Gentlemen, observe the colorful plumage, the quacking call and the web feet trailing behind."

As the bird disappeared out of range, he said, "Based on my observation, I would venture that we have seen a duck, but further tests may be necessary before we decide on a course of action."

The surgeon was furious.  He told the internist, "It looked like a duck, it quacked like a duck, it was probably a duck."

The other doctors looked blankly at him, but there was a slight sneer from the surgeon.

It wasn't long until another bird appeared. They waited until it came closer and then the surgeon leaped to his feet with his gun. He started shooting wildy.

Feathers and pieces of feet, blood and guts and bill exploded overhead.

A sorry looking carcass fell to the ground.  

The surgeon turned to the pathologist and said "Go over there and tell me if that is a duck."