A couple of weeks have passed and enough time has passed to digest what I thought about the CAP Companion Society I was fortunate enough to speak at the recent USCAP meeting.  Unfortunately, this was the only part of the meeting I was able to attend this year.  For a more complete review of the exhibits and exhibit floor check out Ole Eichorn's The Daily Scan and Amanda Lowe's DPC Blog. Both have excellent summaries of the vendors, their booths and recent updates to product offerings.

The CAP Companion Society Meeting this year was dedicated to whole slide imaging.  I think this says a lot for the College and the field in general.  Timely topics are usually chosen for this companion meeting and topics are generally those that are suggested by the membership in terms of current issues that may be of interest to the general practicing pathologist.  

The session is generally well attended by CAP members and as most of the companion meetings take place over the weekend and there are quite a few, attendees have a wide range of meetings to attend.  This particularly society meeting generally does well but this year the number seemed larger than most.

I was able to view the speaker presentations on the USCAP website without log in.

As you will see from the presentations the topics covered regulatory issues, educational applications, clinical applications, lessons learned from the speakers, business models and challenges to overcome.  

Paul Valenstein's talk on the issue of validation presented the real challenges that face the FDA to tackle the problem.  Be sure to check out his talk if this is of interest to you for a thorough review of the regulatory issues.

Liron Pantanowitz reviewed educational applications in part using Pathology 2.0 and other application models.

Andrew Evans and myself covered clinical applications with Andrew reviewing now multiple years and thousands of cases reviewed with telepathology with multiple platforms and expansion of their practice model into remote areas of Ontario.  Still one of the best examples of a successful telemedicine program with many deliverables, efficiencies and continued successes that anyone should review if you are setting up any telepathology program.

As for my talk, it was largely a review of my recent CAP meeting session on telepathology and whole slide imaging.  Fortunately, I don't think there was much redundancy among the attendees and my bad jokes were just as ineffective.  TIme for some new material, new slides and new jokes.

The session concluded with John Pfeifer and David Wilbur discussing their experiences in large, sub-specialty oriented academic practices.  John discussed issues associated with volume scanning in a large organization, the issues with large academic practices and their success with a CoPath interface.  David Wilbur discussed their projects with Corista and proposed consultation models for MGH.

At the end of the session there was a short panel Q&A and it was quickly and clearly evident from the questions asked and the follow up points made by the panelists that digital pathology is no longer a matter of "if" but "how".  

This is my problem in my lab, my hospital, my group, with my colleagues, I know we need to adopt this technology, but how?  Where do I start? And how do I validate?  I need to read cases instead of traveling to the cases.  But what about resolution? Legal issues? Image storage, bandwidth and documentation of digital rather than glass review. 

The answers will come as they have in the past from shared experience and collective lessons learned that facilitate innovation and adoption. 

I recently had a chance to look at Methods in Medical Informatics, the latest of several books by Jules Berman, PhD, MD, published last year. 

Three computer languages satisfy the minimum requirements for biomedical programming: Perl, Python, and Ruby. These languages are: free; fast; and easy to learn. Each provides a large user community; easy environment for correcting errors; large, available library of specialized modules; built-in pattern recognition commands; and yet are capable of large-scale data-analysis for advanced programmers.

One of Dr. Berman's colleagues wrote this, "This list, enumerated by Dr. Berman and many others, should be chiseled in granite, published everywhere, and yelled from the rooftops. Greater compliance with this list would clear out much of the clutter in the chaotic world of biomedical informatics."

This book is a no-nonsense "how to" for programming in medical informatics written in a similar style to Dr. Berman's previous works on the topic with the exception that these languages are freely available and take advantage of public databases.  The book is short on history, background and significant explanation, rather Dr. Berman quickly and easily takes the reader into short scripts of code with accompanying algorithms to rapidly illustrate simplicity yet thoroughness to the program being written.  For more substantive background and discussion I suggest you look at his prior works.

The book contains 27 chapters that are parceled into 4 parts -- fundamental algorithms and methods of medical informatics; medical data resources; primary tasks of medical informatics and medical discovery. The parts and chapters allow a flow to the book that makes it both easy to pick up where you left off and hard to put down when you need to.  Despite the subject matter and largely a collection of short scripts, like any good book, there is a story and one can find themself asking "What if?" when a scenario is presented and others are built upon it to ask or answer a particular question.

A must have for any healthcare professional with informatics needs or interests.  Retails for around $50.

Jules J. Berman, studied mathematics at M.I.T., earned a Ph.D. in pathology and an M.D., practiced general pathology for over a decade, and served as Program Director for the Pathology Informatics program at the U. S. National Cancer Institute. He has published over one hundred first-author papers in peer-reviewed journals in this field. He brings together this varied background in a flowing no-nonsense writing style.

Risk of Misdiagnosis Due to Tissue Contamination May be Higher for Certain Specimen Types:

Changes to Laboratory Staining Techniques Offer Opportunity to Reduce Contamination Events

BOSTON – A new platform created specifically to boost healthcare IT innovation is now available to the public, kicking off a $5,000 competition that challenges developers to create Web applications for patients, physicians and public health.

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School created SMArt (Substitutable Medical Applications, reusable technologies) platform architecture to support a flexible health information technology environment and promote innovation. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology awarded $15 million for the project in April 2010 through the Strategic Health IT Advanced Research Projects (SHARP) program.

[See also: Some SHARP ideas for health IT.]

First described in a March 2009 New England Journal of Medicine article the SMArt architecture is an iPhone-like health IT platform model that aims to transform the way health IT supports healthcare by facilitating the development of medical applications that are scalable and substitutable. The goal is to drive competition, innovation and increased efficiency in the functionality of technology for improved health care.

[See also: Children’s Hospital Boston at work on iPhone-like app.]

The SMArt project will enable the equivalent of an iTunes App Store for health and support applications ranging from medication managers for patients at home to e-prescribing applications and decision support for physicians in the office.

"The goal of this model is to enable a substantial shift towards technologies that are flexible and able to quickly adapt to meet the various needs of their users on a variety of devices," said Kenneth Mandl, MD, of the Children's Hospital Informatics Program and Harvard Medical School, and co-lead on the SMArt project. "As developers begin to compete on quality, value and usability, we expect to see the introduction of an array of innovative functions and a drop in the cost of healthcare technology. Just as staple applications of the iPad, Android, and Blackberry platforms constantly evolve and compete to meet user demands, the SMArt platform will enable health IT to do the same."

In August, Mandl and Isaac Kohane, MD, also with the Children’s Hospital Informatic Program and Harvard Medical School and co-lead on the SMArt project, held a SMArt developer meeting that included more than 60 representatives from academia, government and business.

Multiple prototypes of the SMArt platform were presented and feedback was collected from software developers and the health IT community. Following that meeting, the team built the SMArt platform architecture and interface that was made publicly available March 9.

"There is an enormous talent pool available in our country's developers and entrepreneurs to help drive new Web and mobile health IT solutions that support healthcare functions," said Kohane. "Through this competition we hope to excite this pool, to spark their imaginations and partner with them to move new ideas forward."
"Future developments in health IT should always be driven by empowering physicians and improving patient care," addd Wil Yu, director of the SHARP program at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.

Developers interested in learning more about the SMArt project and/or participating in the SMArt health app challenge may visit http://www.smartplatforms.org/challenge/ for complete details. Entrants are eligible to receive an award – $5,000 and release in an "App Store" –  for best application. The deadline for submission is May 31, 2011 11:59PM EDT.

The judges
A panel of industry leaders has been assembled to judge the challenge and will review submitted apps and announce winners in June 2011. Judges will include Susanna Fox, director of Health Research at the Pew Internet & American Life Project; Regina Herzlinger, the Nancy R. McPherson Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School; David Kibbe, senior advisor to the American Academy of Family Physicians and principal at The Kibbe Group LLC; Ben Shneiderman, professor of Computer Science at the Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory at the University of Maryland, College Park; Doug Solomon, chief technology officer at IDEO; Edward Tufte, professor emeritus of Political Science, Statistics, and Computer Science at Yale University; and Jim Walker, chief health information officer at Geisinger Health Systems.

You will want to be a part of Futurescape IV, the CAP Foundation’s conference, coming soon — April 15-17, 2011 — at the InterContinental Hotel O’Hare in Rosemont, Ill.

At Futurescape, you’ll connect the most innovative and novel areas of development with implementation in the current practice of pathology. You’ll learn how the latest technologies are defining future treatment for patients. Plus, pre-conference industry workshops are sure to provide additional excitement, as well as plenty of opportunity to meet and network with pioneering innovators in pathology.

Act now, as registration closes April 6, 2011. The CAP Travel Desk can help you with airline reservations: 1-800-323-4040 ext. 7800. And contact the InterContinental Hotel to secure the special Futurescape conference rate: 1-800-381-9552.

Registration is now available on-line —$395 for CAP Members and Laboratorians; $525 for Non-CAP Members; $125 for Pathology Residents; or print the downloadable registration form and:

• Mail to:
  

  CAP Foundation
  Futurescape
  325 Waukegan Road
  Northfield, IL
  60093

• Fax to 847-832-8749
• Scan and email to CAPFdn@cap.org

MONTREAL, CANADA--Aurora Interactive, a world leader in digital pathology communications, announced Thursday the company has signed a partnership contract with Galderma, a global leading pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and marketing of innovative medical solutions in dermatology.

The partnership contract is aimed at developing its mScope communication platform and viewer for dermatology research & development at Galderma's R&D center at Sophia Antipolis, France. Galderma forms licensing partnerships around innovative product candidates and technologies.

"The partnership between Aurora and Galderma will allow the adaptation of the best digital technology suite to achieve both companies ambitious goals," said Pierre Le Fèvre, president and chief executive officer for Aurora Interactive. "We are extremely proud to be associated with furthering dermatology research. The decision to facilitate collaboration between researchers is consistent with our company's collaborative Web 2.0 philosophy and mScope product" he added.

The 19,300-sq. meter state-of-the-art R&D center at Sophia Antipolis is Galderma's largest facility and positions the company as the world's leading investor in dermatology R&D. To drive sustained growth, Galderma invests approximately 20 percent of its revenues to discover and develop new drugs and access innovative technologies

About Aurora Interactive Ltd.

Aurora Interactive has developedthe leadingweb-based software platform (mScope) for simplification, productivity, and ease of communications.mScope's Universal Web Viewer has collaborative tools to view medical slides and images anytime, anywhere, regardless of file format.The software has three applications to aid digital pathology web-based communications: mScope Education, mScope Clinical, and mScope Universal Viewer. Aurora's mission is to improve patient outcomes and help members of the medical community achieve their full potential by eliminating the learning, diagnostic, and collaborative restrictions imposed by time and space. http://www.aurorainteractive.com

About Galderma

Founded in 1981, Galderma is a joint venture between Nestlé and L'Oréal and today employs more than 3,000 people. The company, headed by President & CEO Humberto C. Antunes, has wholly-owned affiliates in 31 countries and a worldwide network of exclusive sales agents. In 2009, sales reached 978 million Euros, an increase of 10.8%* over 2008. Committed to the future of dermatology, Galderma's ambition is to be recognized as the most competent and successful innovation-based company focused exclusively on meeting the needs of dermatology patients and physicians. http://www.galderma.com

The novel staining approach combines the multiplexing capabilities of fluorescence with the tissue context of brightfield whole slide scanning

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — March 17, 2011 — Flagship Biosciences announced today a novel whole slide imaging approach called Bridge Staining™, that allows a brightfield background to be aligned and overlaid on a fluorescent image on the same tissue section, allowing visualization of tissue morphologic features on the fluorescent image. The patent-pending technique is versatile, and can be used either with three to four color fluorochrome stained sections or autofluorescence or polarized scanning.

“While generally we prefer to work with brightfield pathology, but fluorescence presents useful applications in multiplexing of proteins in single tissue sections,” said Dr. Frank Voelker of Flagship Biosciences. “We utilize whole slide fluorescence scanning and analysis when two to four antibodies are required to be evaluated in a single section. However, fluorescence makes the determination of the local tissue context difficult for pathologists. This new approach allows immunofluorescence to be conducted as usual, but with the additional step of adding chromogen staining without interfering with fluorescence emissions. Protein expression can be quantified in tissue with fluorescence, with the advantage of using the chromagen staining to assist in pattern recognition of the regions of interest.”

The multimodal scanning is another in a long list of whole slide scanning and image analysis services offered by Flagship Biosciences, utilizing both whole slide brightfield and fluorescence scanning. The Bridge Staining™ approach is being refined in conjunction with a number of tissue-based companion diagnostics programs with Flagship’s pharmaceutical partners. Flagship Biosciences is a pathologist-owned digital pathology services organization. 

CHICAGO – March 14, 2011 – President Bill Clinton, the Founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the 42nd President of the United States and a champion for global health, will be the keynote speaker at the 2011 American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Las Vegas.
His address, “Embracing Our Common Humanity,” will set the stage for a truly international conference, which is serving as host to the World Association of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPaLM) XXVI World Congress. “A Global View of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine” is the theme of ASCP’s signature event, Oct. 19-22 at the Venetian-Palazzo Resort Hotel Casinos.

“President Clinton is the world’s leading advocate for global health initiatives, and ASCP has a corps of dedicated volunteers working to improve laboratory services in resource-limited countries,” said ASCP President John E. Tomaszewski, MD, FASCP.

After his two terms as U.S. President from 1993 to 2001, President Clinton established the William J. Clinton Foundation to strengthen the capacity of people around the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence.  The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), formerly the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, works to strengthen integrated health systems in the developing world and expand access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

ASCP’s Institute for Global Outreach works to improve global health by identifying and implementing innovative methods and partnerships that improve laboratory practice.

ASCP Executive Vice President E. Blair Holladay, PhD, SCT(ASCP)CM, said ASCP and WASPaLM are partnering this year to build stronger bridges between national and international societies for all members of the laboratory team. WASPaLM represents 45 societies of pathologists and laboratory professionals in 34 countries.
Registration for the 2011 ASCP Annual Meeting is now open.

http://www.ascp.org/2011AnnualMeeting/register.html

HAMAMATSU, Japan, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) is pleased to announce that is has been awarded Reissue Patent No. 42,220 ("RE42,220"), confirming the patentability of its original Patent 6,847,729, a pioneering patent directed to slide scanning with remote viewing.

This patent is for the essential mechanism whereby a microscope slide is scanned and then digitized for remote viewing. The patent covers the basic operation of HPK's line of NanoZoomer® digital pathology instruments (including the NanoZoomer® 2.0HT, and the NanoZoomer® 2.0RS). The NanoZoomer® instruments have been widely accepted in the digital pathology market and the strong patent position of HPK should encourage software manufacturers to develop software that supports the NanoZoomer® platform.

Asked to comment on this seminal digital slide scanning patent, Mr. Hitoshi Iida, Managing Director of HPK, stated, "By reissuing this patent, we believe the USPTO has sustained the validity of this most central digital pathology patent. We now feel confident to move forward with enforcement of our patent rights."

The affirmation of the patentability of the patent claims demonstrates the innovation encompassed in scanning products HPK has developed. While HPK is willing to discuss the licensing of this patent on reasonable terms to others, it is studying the slide scanning products on the market with a view to demanding that all infringements of its RE42,220 patent cease.

All inquiries should be directed to David Leinwand, Esq., at Photonics Management Corporation, 360 Foothill Road, Box 6910,Bridgewater, NJ 08807-0910.

About Hamamatsu Photonics KK

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. ("HPK") (Japan) is a leading manufacturer of devices for the generation and measurement of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. HPK is dedicated to the advancement of photonics through extensive research. HPK is also dedicated to the advancement of Digital Pathology. Digital Pathology is an area expected to improve the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis and life science research. Applications of Digital Pathology include pathology education, telepathology, computer aided diagnosis, cancer research, drug development, and basic research. Whole slide imaging is a core technology supporting Digital Pathology by converting glass slides to digital slides. The patent aids fast and high resolution conversion and efficient viewing and navigation of slides from remote locations.

SOURCE Hamamatsu Corporation

RELATED LINKS
http://www.hamamatsu.com

Transforming Pathology

AccelPath has developed a proprietary workflow system to quickly provide high quality, sub-specialized pathology interpretations to referring physicians and laboratories.

Simple steps to state-of-the-art pathology operations:

• AccelPath installs advanced slide scanners at the customer facility.
• Slides are scanned locally.
• Our proprietary workflow creates a digital case and transmits a requisition and images to the most appropriate pathologist based on specialization, credentials and workload.
• The pathologist performs the interpretation of the digital images and an electronic report is transmitted to the customer, typically within 48 hours.

Further…

• Images and reports are stored on Accelpath's servers offering a redundant solution to local storage capabilities.
• AccelPath's proprietary workflow and network is completely HIPAA compliant.
• Implementation is easy with the help of our experienced team.
• Customers start to realize the advantages of AccelPath services immediately. 

I am becoming increasingly suspicious of articles and media reports that claim something to the effect that ""X" is no longer most common cause of "Y"; Genetic cause found for disease".

Such as the case with this story below at bottom of this post.

In medical school you are taught few absolutes.  There are always "exception to the rule", common diseases may have rare presentations, rare diseases may have common presentations, for that disease but common to a host of other diseases, possibly making recollection and detection of the rare disease harder, because you are also taught that common diseases present commonly, that's why they are called common. 

I do however recall a few absolutes, including that prostitutes get cervical cancer, nuns get endometrial cancer, smoking causes lung cancer and pancreatitis is caused by gallstones and alchohol.  Of course, not all smokers get lung cancer and some cases of lung cancer occur in non-smokers and not all nuns get endometrial cancer (thought to be due to high levels of unopposed estrogen levels due to lack of pregnancy-induced elevated progesterone levels that intermittently oppose the estrogen).

Anyways, you get the idea.  Most medical students are taught a mnemonic for the causes of acute pancreatitis, like the one below (courtesy of Wikipedia).  "I get smashed" is a family-friendly compared to the mnemonic for the bones of the wrist. 

So, now why, for this first time since Hippocrates to Virchow to Will and Charlie Mayo to Dr. Gregory House is alcohol not one of the most common reasons for pancreatitis?  Did our genes change to the point they cause disease we use to credit to other causes?  Have the genes that cause alcoholism mutated to the point they no longer cause alcoholism and therefore potentially some cases of pancreatitis?  Wait, isn't it genes that cause us to drink in the first place? 

Certainly there are certain genotypes and phenotypes that predispose individuals to the development of gallstones which could leave home and travel down the bile duct and get lodged and cause the pancreas to digest itself.  If we are talking specifically about chronic pancreatitis, can eliminate gallstones since gallbladder surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed and without gallstones hard to get recurrent acute or chronic pancreatitis. 

Obviously autoimmune diseases have a genetic basis and thus one could attribute genetic causes to their primary disease and its complications.  Other metabolic conditions like those listed below including high lipids and triglycerides also have a genetic basis. 

Harder to come up with scorpion bites as having a genetic cause unless you are pre-programmed at birth and destined to get a PhD in scorpion biology and it presents an occupational hazard or you live in an area indigenous to such creatures without fear of being stung. 

The truth of the matter is that a number of diseases are caused by human actions, inactions or behaviors that results in modifications of cells and tissues beyond normal and cause pain and suffering.

On the other hand, genetic factors on some level probably do control those actions, inactions or behaviors that prevent or cause disease, so I guess you can attribute every disease to bad genes.

That means I do not need to remember any more mneumonics when all the causes are actually one big single cause.  Think I will have a drink. 

A common mnemonic for the causes of pancreatitis spells "I get smashed", an allusion to heavy drinking (one of the many causes):

• I - idiopathic. Thought to be hypertensive sphincter or microlithiasis.
• G - gallstone. Gallstones that travel down the common bile duct and which subsequently get stuck in the Ampulla of Vater can cause obstruction in the outflow of pancreatic juices from the pancreas into the duodenum. The backflow of these digestive juices causes lysis (dissolving) of pancreatic cells and subsequent pancreatitis.
• E - ethanol (alcohol)
• T - trauma
• S - steroids
• M - mumps (paramyxovirus) and other viruses (Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus)
• A - autoimmune disease (Polyarteritis nodosa, Systemic lupus erythematosus)
• S - scorpion sting (e.g. Tityus trinitatis), and also snake bites
• H - hypercalcemia, hyperlipidemia/hypertriglyceridemia and hypothermia
• E - ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography - a procedure that combines endoscopy and fluoroscopy)
• D - drugs (SAND - steroids & sulfonamides, azathioprine, NSAIDS, diuretics such as furosemide and thiazides, & didanosine) and duodenal ulcers. As an example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported in August 2008 six cases of hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis in patients taking Byetta, a diabetes medicine approved in 2005. Two patients died. The FDA previously reported 30 other cases of pancreatitis. Patients taking Byetta should promptly seek medical care if they experience unexplained severe abdominal pain with or without nausea and vomiting.

This mnemonic is also roughly arranged according to the frequency of its causes. Thus: Gallstone pancreatitis is more common than pancreatitis caused by alcohol, trauma, or steroids.

Alcohol May No Longer Be Primary Cause Of Chronic Pancreatitis
Reuters (3/10, Grens) reports that genetic factors may be replacing alcohol as the major cause of chronic pancreatitis, according to a study in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Researchers analyzed the medical records of patients who were treated for chronic inflammation of the pancreas at 20 medical centers. They determined that approximately three out of every 10 cases of pancreatitis were due to genetic diseases, immune system disorders, or other factors, such as physical damage. In another three out of 10 cases, the study team could not determine the cause for chronic pancreatitis, but they noted that patients in the group had higher than average smoking rates.

Leica, with its SCN400 scanner from the latest of the traditional microscope manufacturers continues to move systems and have early success.  Add to that the fact that digital pathology continues to expand in Canada among large healthcare systems and laboratories. With its scanner and software partner, SlidePath, Leica does offer a complete solution for slide scanning, image managment and image analysis with high quality.

Quorum Technologies Inc., a distributor and developer of high-end microscopy products and imaging systems
announced yesterday that Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories is implementing Leica Microsystems Inc. Total Digital Pathology solution. The Leica SCN400 scanner with Digital Image Hub and Conferencing software couples high throughput digital slide scanning with enterprise level software, to provide a complete digital pathology system for Gamma-Dynacare.

The technology is being integrated at the Bomanville laboratory where cancer-screening programs
are being developed. Traditionally, pathologists have used microscopes to analyze specimens on glass slides. The
acquisition of the Leica SCN400 solution provides Gamma Dynacare new tools and flexible workflow options. The
system creates fully digitized images that can be viewed online in a secure and efficient manner from virtually any location. Gamma-Dynacare will also utilize Leica Microsystems' data management and image analysis software to further expand its commercial pathology services across Canada.

"The implementation of Leica Microsystems' SCN400 digital pathology system is exciting for Gamma-Dynacare as it supports our commitment to offer leading technology that can positively impact the delivery of diagnoses and treatment decisions for patients," said Jeff Sumner, Vice President, Clinical Development and Quality Assurance, Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories. "We have been monitoring the technology and our evaluation of Leica Microsystems' total digital pathology platform was positive. We are pleased to be able to provide our clients and patients with the benefits of this new technology."

"The Leica solution implementation at Gamma-Dynacare is an important one as it marks another milestone in Canada's adoption of the digital pathology paradigm," says John Arbuckle, President and CEO of Quorum Technologies.  "Digital pathology is rapidly evolving and the technology has advanced tremendously over the past few years. Our company has implemented and supported approximately 50 digital pathology systems in medical schools, hospitals and research laboratories across Canada. It's great to see one of the country's largest and highly esteemed medical laboratories further validate the technology and prepare to offer a variety of digital pathology services."

About Gamma-Dynacare
Gamma-Dynacare is one of Canada's largest and most respected providers of laboratory services and solutions, with more than 50 years of experience in the industry. Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, its operations include six laboratory facilities, located in Brampton, London, Ottawa, Bowmanville, Montreal and Winnipeg. In addition, Gamma-Dynacare operates more than 175 Patient Services Centres in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Gamma-Dynacare' s 2,000 skilled and dedicated employees perform millions of tests each year, playing a key role in the prevention and diagnosis of disease and the treatment of patients. By living its mission of "Caring for People", the company positively impacts the health and wellness of people across Canada, and is a valuable contributor to the betterment of the healthcare system.

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 Biosystems, an own operating company, 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.
Leica Microsystems 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.

About Quorum Technologies
Quorum Technologies is a private Canadian enterprise located in Guelph, Ontario. The company develops and
integrates scientific instruments and is the largest independent provider of Microscope based imaging systems in Canada. Quorum is a leader in advanced Live Cell Imaging platforms and holds over half a dozen patents with several others in process. Through its technology transfer relationships with Canadian Universities, Quorum is helping to bring new innovative technologies to market for use in preclinical research, drug development and personalized medicine.
Quorum Technologies is a private Canadian enterprise located in Guelph, Ontario. The company develops and
integrates scientific instruments and is the largest independent provider of Microscope based imaging systems in Canada.

Drs. Ul Balis and Jason Hipp from the University of Michigan discuss their game changing technology using SIVQ in video format.  

http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/game-changer-in-pathology-software/

How to master the secrets of success for finding your first job

YOUR PRESENTERS: Karim E. Sirgi, MD, President, UniPath PC Justin M. Clark (Moderator), Director of Operations, THE DARK REPORT

LIVE Webinar – Register Now

Spring is approaching and as a pathology fellow or fourth-year resident, you’re getting serious about your job search. The stakes are high for young pathologists because both you and the hiring practices want to make the “perfect match.” Do your homework now and learn how to recognize a successful private pathology practice from a struggling one-and this PREP webinar can help!

Pathology Residents Education Program (PREP) provides business education and job-search savvy to third- and fourth-year residents. This session is the latest in a series of events designed especially for pathology residents and fellows.

Take advantage of this opportunity to go inside one of the nation’s fastest-growing multi-specialty, multi-site private pathology groups and learn the secrets of its clinical and financial success. This is essential knowledge you can use to jump-start your job search and position yourself as a smart hire for the nation’s most prominent pathology practices.

Your guide on this “virtual tour” is Karim Sirgi, M.D., President of UniPath, P.C. We’ve asked him to take you behind the scenes of his dynamic anatomic pathology laboratory. It’s a unique opportunity to have one of pathology’s keen business and management minds introduce you to the rhythms and clinical routines of a top-flight practice.

You’ll gain valuable insights into how this professional corporation of 25 pathologists and subspecialist pathologists is organized and managed. Find out what it takes to deliver a full menu of pathology services to local community hospitals and office-based physicians in the region, even as UniPath is building a national referral business in selected pathology subspecialties.

Dr. Sirgi will take you through the essentials of daily and weekly staffing. You’ll master the basics of how to efficiently schedule 25 pathologists at multiple sites, each characterized by distinct competencies and competitive priorities. You’ll learn about specific management techniques that the group uses to protect the time, income, and lifestyle parameters for all the pathologists in the group.

These fundamental management and clinical practice strategies have a practical benefit for you. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll recognize good employment opportunities as you interview. More important, you’ll be able to spot struggling or dysfunctional pathology groups more easily, saving you years of heartache and disappointment working for the wrong pathology group practice.

But there’s more! During this special PREP webinar, Dr. Sirgi will also give you information about which subspecialties are in highest demand and will help you better understand what a private pathology group expects from a new pathologist just leaving residency or fellowship.

The content for this PREP webinar was designed with input from several pathology residence program directors to give you an insider’s understanding of the business, management, and clinical practice issues that make up the daily routine of an anatomic pathologist. Best of all, it prepares you to put your best foot forward in the job interviews that lie ahead.

Ask your Chief Resident or Residency Program Director to register your residency program for this information-packed 75-minute webinar, “Entering Private Practice: What Every Pathology Resident Should Know about Productivity, Management, and Career Development,” on Thursday, March 10, 2011. It’s critical knowledge for any pathology resident or fellow just launching a search for the perfect pathology job.

And don’t forget the question-and-answer session at the end of this conference. It’s your opportunity to get answers to specific questions about the challenges and opportunities of working for a multi-specialty, multi-site private pathology practice. Register today to ensure your participation in this very special event.

THE DARK REPORT WEBINAR AT A GLANCE

DATE: Thursday, March 10, 2011

TIME: 3 p.m. EST; 2 p.m. CST; 1 p.m. MST; 12 Noon PST

PLACE: Your computer or your residency program’s conference room

COST: $249 per dial-in site (unlimited attendance per site) *Add 30 days of post-conference online access to the recording of this event for $75

TO REGISTER: Click here or call Suzanne Galloway toll-free at 1-800-560-6363

For one low price—just $249—you and your entire team can take part in this fast-paced, insightful webinar. Best of all, you’ll be able to connect personally with either of the panelists when we open up the phone lines for live Q&A

Here’s just some of what you’ll learn during this in-depth 75-minute webinar:

• The advantages and disadvantages of working in a multi-specialty, multi-site private pathology group.
• How business and management drivers in a private pathology group practice shape your work routine and compensation.
• Standard models of pathologist productivity and compensation in private pathology groups.
• Easy ways to determine the culture of a group and whether it’s a good fit for you.
• How new technologies, including digital pathology, histology automation, and molecular/genetic tests, can propel your career forward.
• How to recognize the signs of a thriving, successful private pathology group.
• How to avoid private pathology groups that are struggling or unhappy places to work.
• Three ways to identify the long-term stability of a group.
• How community-based pathologists work and why it’s different from your academic pathology experience.
• How to talk intelligently in job interviews about the benefits of working in this kind of setting.

…and much more!

Individuals who benefit from this webinar:

• Pathology chief residents, residents and fellows
• Academic pathology chairs
• Residency program directors
• Pathology department administrators
• Undergraduate and graduate medical educators
• Pathology and laboratory professionals

How to Register:

1. Online
2. Call toll free: 800-560-6363

Your webinar registration includes:

• A site license to attend the conference (invite as many people as you can fit around your speakerphone at no extra charge)
• A downloadable PowerPoint presentations from our speaker
• A full transcript emailed to you soon after the conference
• The opportunity to connect directly with the speaker during the audience Q&A session

Register Now! Or for more information, call us toll-free at 800-560-6363.

Distinguished Expert:

Karim E. Sirgi, M.D. is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology with subspecialty board certification in cytopathology. He is President of Unipath PC as well as a member of the joint strategy board of Unipath PC-American Pathology Partners LLC. Dr. Sirgi is also Medical Director of laboratories at The Urology Center of Colorado and of the Colorado Center for Laboratory Medical Science, past-president of the medical staff at Presbyterian/Saint Luke’s Medical Center, and past-chair of the HealthOne Presidents Council. He is a diplomate of the Saint Joseph University School of Medicine in Lebanon. Dr. Sirgi completed his residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Booth Memorial Medical Center, a fellowship in surgical pathology at Barnes Hospital, Washington University Medical Center and an additional subspecialty fellowship in general and interventional cytopathology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Sirgi was on the faculty at both institutions after completion of each fellowship. He was chairman of the pathology department at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center from 1997-2003 and president of the Colorado Society of Clinical Pathologists in 2003/2004. He is also a former member of the College of American Pathologists Cytopathology Resource Committee and the Gynecology Oncology Group pathology review committee

HOPKINTON, Mass. and BRANFORD, Conn., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (CALP: 6.285 -0.165 -2.56%) and HistoRx, Inc., today announced a collaboration to co-develop a new generation of tissue-based imaging and analysis solutions, based on immuno-fluorescence, that will deliver accurate, quantitative, and reproducible measurements of proteins in tissue samples.  The collaboration will enable researchers to leverage the combined imaging and analysis power of Caliper’s Vectra™, an automated multiplexed tissue imaging platform, and AQUA® technology, HistoRx’s proprietary image analysis system, to provide an integrated platform to advance the identification and validation of new drug targets and improve assessment of drug response.  

“The Vectra system from Caliper represents a significant move forward for researchers interested in digital pathology with multispectral, brightfield, and fluorescent capabilities,” said Bill Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Operations at HistoRx.  ”By matching AQUA technology’s intensity-based quantitative measurement with Caliper’s market leading multispectral imaging capabilities, users will be afforded a level of quality and performance that is unparalleled.  Caliper is therefore a natural partner for HistoRx in bringing reproducible and truly quantitative immunohistochemistry to the anatomic pathology laboratory.”  

“The combination of Caliper and HistoRx technologies enables an unprecedented level of objective and accurate diagnosis that is currently lacking, both on the research level as well as the clinical level,” said Kevin Hrusovsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of Caliper Life Sciences.  ”We see an opportunity to bring a comprehensive solution to the research market to help expand scientists’ options for capturing key disease signatures and to aid in the development of new drugs and new strategies to battle cancer.”

Under the agreement, Caliper will have exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the integrated product in the life sciences research market as the companies continue to explore additional collaborative opportunities in clinical research and diagnostics.  The AQUA technology is complimentary to Caliper’s inForm™ image analysis software, a flexible investigative tool using trainable pattern recognition algorithms, providing multi-analyte, per-cell quantification in FFPE tissues.  AQUA provides a simple-to-use, pre-configured and automated quantification of single biomarkers, using validated AQUA multi-label kits, producing platform-independent AQUA ‘scores’.  Together, they provide a comprehensive suite of tools to correlate protein expressions with disease progression, clinical outcome or response to therapy.

Caliper expects to launch the AQUA enabled Vectra platform in August of 2011.

About Caliper Life Sciences

Caliper Life Sciences is a premier provider of cutting-edge technologies enabling researchers in the life sciences industry to create life-saving and enhancing medicines and diagnostic tests more quickly and efficiently. Caliper is aggressively innovating new technology to bridge the gap between in vitro assays and in vivo results, enabling the translation of those results into cures for human disease. Caliper’s portfolio of offerings includes state-of-the-art microfluidics, lab automation and liquid handling, optical imaging technologies, and discovery and development outsourcing solutions. For more information please visit http://www.caliperLS.com.

About HistoRx, Inc.

HistoRx, Inc. is a leading developer of tissue-based diagnostic solutions to advance individualized patient care. The company’s products and services are based on proprietary analysis of tissue biomarkers using AQUA technology. AQUA technology is the only platform capable of precisely measuring protein biomarker concentration with sub-cellular resolution in tissue sections, enabling fully objective, standardized, reproducible, and automated analysis to guide drug development and therapeutic decision-making. HistoRx is commercializing a pipeline of proprietary diagnostic products targeting improved treatment decision-making and patient outcomes in cancer care. For more information, please visit http://www.historx.com.

The statements in this press release regarding future events, including the statement that Caliper expects to launch the AQUA enabled Vectra platform in August of 2011, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including that Caliper may encounter unexpected problems in integrating its Vectra system with HistoRx’s AQUA technology.  Further information on risks faced by Caliper are detailed under the caption “Risks Related To Our Business” in Caliper’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009. Our filings are available on a web site maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov. Caliper does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking or other statements in this release or the conference call.

NOTE:  Caliper is registered trademark and Vectra and inForm are trademarks of Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.  AQUA is a registered trademark of HistoRx, Inc.  

SOURCE Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

http://www.dailymarkets.com/stock/2011/03/10/caliper-life-sciences-and-historx-to-provide-integrated-solutions-for-superior-protein-quantification-of-biomarkers-in-tissue/

This case on the surface appears to deal with the issue of appropriate state licensure for remote reads of pathology material.  Pending the outcome of this case, it emphasis the scrutiny and need for ensuring that practioners have met appropriate state licensure requirements and local credentialing requirements.  The problem is that every state has their own requirements concerning telemedicine requirements (and interstate commerce).  

One needs to insure the laws of the both the state where the case is received from as well as the state where a reading is performed are understood and followed.  Issues such as these and potential CLIA implications remain a barrier for digital pathology and in particular an "anytime, anywhere" model.

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A Washington pathologist and her group practice may be subject to liability for the unlicensed practice of medicine under Idaho law stemming from the remote review in Washington of a biopsy from a patient in Idaho, a federal court ruled Dec. 30, 2010 (Smith v. Laboratory Corp. of America, W.D. Wash., No. C09-1662, 12/30/10).

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington said Idaho’s Medical Practices Act (MPA) potentially applies to the Washington pathologist, Dr. Jane J. Yin, if she is found to have rendered a medical diagnosis for an Idaho resident without holding a license to practice medicine in that state.

Source: http://www.ioma.com/issues/GCR/2011_3/1625571-1.html

If you are reading this from San Antonio this week attending the USCAP meeting, be sure to check out Omnyx's IDP solution in booth 330. 

Omnyx has focused on workflow since its inception and this demo should highlight their work to date and the efficiencies to be had with digital pathology.

Omnyx, a joint venture of GE Healthcare and UPMC is showing their IDP solution designed by pathologists, for pathologists and built from the ground up with help from a global team of collaborators with the overall goal of digitizing the pathologist's process with intuitive and efficient solutions.  

Omnyx will demonstrate its complete product line, which includes the VL4 and VL120 whole slide scanners, Pathologist Workstation, Histology Workstation, Web Viewer, Algorithms, Workflow Server, and Digital Archive for image storage. These products will be sold initially for research use only.  By digitizing the slides and corresponding workflow, the Omnyx technology is intended to do what a traditional microscope cannot -- unite an entire pathology department and improve collaboration, communication and efficiency.  

Of note, Omnyx will be demonstrating for the first time the VL120 whole slide scanner, which is capable of holding 120 slides that are automatically loaded and scanned.  When launched, this product will be used in environments where continuous scanning is critical to sustain throughput.  The VL120 is a complement to the already unveiled Omnyx VL4 scanner, currently for research use,and uses the identical scanning engine, which includes the patented Independent Dual Sensor imaging technology which can scan slides automatically at 20x or 40x magnification with speed and quality.

The Omnyx IDP solution integrates what are often stand alone products into a comprehensive platform.  It combines high speed, high quality whole slide scanning with scalable information technology products to create a solution that addresses the reliability and process requirements of pathologists and enables single and multi-site organizations to benefit from increased efficiencies and greater access to peers in the field.  It provides pathologists and histologists the tools necessary to work in closer collaboration and efficiently digitize their processes.