Labcorp announced a collaboration with Roche to implement the company's FDA-cleared VENTANA DP 600 and DP 200 slide scanners. The investment enables pathologists to diagnose patients using digital images and supports future artificial intelligence (AI) integration.
Labcorp's initiative comes at a critical time for the field of pathology. The U.S. faces a projected shortage of nearly 5,700 pathologists by 2030, while the demand for diagnostic services continues to grow due to an aging population and the increasing incidence of cancer and other diseases.
The digital pathology workflow converts glass slides into high-resolution digital images that can be instantly viewed using a conventional PC workstation (rather than a microscope) and analyzed and shared from any location, eliminating reliance on physical slides and enabling pathologists to operate across different sites.
Key Features and benefits of digital pathology:
Improved access to expertise: Enables remote sharing of digital slides, eliminating reliance on physical slides and enabling rapid consultations with specialists, regardless of location.
Enhanced efficiency: Streamlines workflows by eliminating the need to handle, transport or retrieve physical slides.
Reduced cost and risk: Digital storage eliminates transit costs and minimizes the risk of slide damage or loss of irreplaceable tissue samples.
AI integration: Establishes a foundation for AI tools that can improve consistency, accuracy and efficiency in pathology workflows.
