Design of a high-speed slide imaging system for pathology

Digital imaging has definite advantages for many areas of anatomic pathology, including documentation, education, and telemedicine. Despite these benefits, the majority of diagnoses are made via manual examination of slides using a light microscope. The primary factor limiting the clinical use of digital images is the amount of time required to image an entire slide. This paper describes an imaging system that overcomes this limitation. Pulsed light illumination is the key that allows fast continuous slide motion during image capture, reducing capture time to minutes rather than hours. A position sensor and a timing circuit provide accurate stage positioning and timing signals, enabling simple and accurate assembly of a full slide montage. Preliminary studies indicate that diagnoses made from the resulting images agree with those made using a microscope.