96. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pathologie e. V ...

Abstracts
Poster: Informatik
SA-P-101
How virtual slides save pathologist’s time and inspire students
I . Klempert 1 , K . Schlüns 1 , P . Hufnagl 1 , M . Dietel 1
1 Charité University Hospital, Institute of Pathology, Berlin
Aims. Due to the changing curriculum of the Charité Universitätsmedizin
Berlin we have to manage larger groups of students in shorter lessons
with a more important focus on the relation to the clinical aspects
of the program. Less than a third of the lessons of the institute of pathology
are classical histological lessons. We decided to introduce virtual
microscopy to overcome these problems and to offer the students unlimited
access to comprehensive, exciting and clinical related pathohistology.
To realize such an offer, we arranged the slides in cases (as small
exercises).
Methods. We already use the E-learning system “Blackboard”, but histology
was only presentable as still pictures. Additionally, we established
the “Slidebox” System to increase availability of virtual slides. This
software allows the use of each picture ratio of our slide scanners. The
software is password-protected and can be used from every internetaccess
point. The number of well documented cases (of diagnostics) is
increasing and serves as a basis for case-based learning.
Results. The anatomy-histology room allows up to 80 students to work
by microscope and/or PC. The computers are connected by a 2.33 GHZ
XEON Server via 1 GB LAN. This technical foundation is sufficient for
students to work during the lessons. The virtual slides can be annotated
and the system allows them to be viewed down to the single cell
level. The students are able to use the virtual slides during the lessons
(under supervision) or at home. The software works fast and is reliable,
the handling aspects are easy to understand and intuitive. The students
accepted the improvements to the system very quickly, with positive
feedback and good results.
Conclusions. Prepared virtual slides or documents are logged within the
system for repeated use, allowing them to be used with constant quality
or for enhancement. The educator saves time in preparation. The
students are well prepared; are capable of comparing the solutions or
starting discussions. The use as a part of the academic education is just
one possibility. The use in further education of physicians in one location,
or between different institutes or universities is also conceivable.
SA-P-102
Integrative, multimedia-based learning with the aid of a virtual
microscope
C . Brochhausen1 , H . Winther1 , V .H . Schmitt1 , J . Horstmeyer2 , C .J . Kirkpatrick1 1 2 University Medical Centre, Institute of Pathology, Mainz, Johann Wolfgang
Goethe-University, Academy for Educational Research and Teacher
Education, Frankfurt am Main
Aims. Virtual microscopy is already established in teaching curricula at
many universities. However, the technique is the subject of continuous
further development. A variety of features exist in which the individual
applications differ. However, which of the numerous features are considered
useful, necessary or redundant is unknown. Therefore, we have
investigated the needs of the students with a questionnaire and developed
a new application for virtual microscopy on the basis of these data.
Methods. In cooperation with the Center for Quality Assurance and
Development Mainz a questionnaire with a feature-set was created. 216
students assessed the importance of functions such as annotations, additional
teaching texts and a broad scope of target devices. Based on this
evaluation a new application was constructed.
Results. The analysis of the questionnaire revealed that 96.2% of the
students consider virtual microscopy as a meaningful learning opportunity
and desirable for test preparation. The features annotations
170 | Der Pathologe · Supplement 1 · 2012
(87.3%) and additional teaching texts (52.3%) have also been evaluated
positively. Furthermore, many students requested a quiz mode in the
comments section. In contrast, the establishment of a discussion forum
appeared less important to the students (4.2%). These results provided
the basis for the development of a novel application, in which technologies
were used (including HTML1.1, AJAX) both to satisfy the needs
of the students and also to ensure the expansibility (OpenLayers) and
sustainability of the application. Hence, proprietary technologies like
Flash were abandoned.
Conclusions. The survey revealed the requirements of the users, which
formed the basis for the development of a new application. In future innovations
the applications should be able to run on all modern browsers
without proprietary extension. The course of further developments, e.g.
detailed depth portrayal or adventure experience microscopy should be
determined in further questionnaires.
SA-P-103
A web-based virtual microscopy platform as supplement for
histopathology lectures
S . Friedl1 , G . Oehmke2 , T . Wittenberg1 , F . Paulsen3 , A . Hartmann2 , C . Geppert2 1 2 Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, Erlangen, University Hospital
Erlangen, Institute of Pathology, Erlangen, 3University of Erlangen-Nürnberg,
Department of Anatomy Chair II, Erlangen
Aims. In academic education of microscopic histology and pathology,
an independent training in the recognition of specimen is an important
supplement to core lectures. To limit the effort regarding hardware,
rooms, and personnel for such an open microscopy, innovative internet
technologies can help to provide flexible and continuous opportunities.
A web-based virtual microscopy platform can offer training possibilities
at any time without the need of constant administration. Such a
platform has been developed and introduced, and the usage and the
feedback of the students have been evaluated during the last two academic
terms.
Methods. To provide specimens for the web-based platform, microscopic
slides have been digitalized using a slide scanner at 40-fold magnification.
Resulting in image data with up to 5 GB per slide, a conversion
of the images is necessary to optimize the transfer over the internet. A
tiled pyramid structure can provide selected tiles in defined resolutions
directly without additional computation. The user can zoom to any preferred
magnification level and pan the slide freely while only the visualized
parts and details are transferred to the client. The digital slides
are categorized by anatomy and findings, and enhanced by additional
descriptions and iconic annotations. Currently approx. 200 specimens
are digitalized and provided to the students.
Results. With 146 5th-semester students using the platform, an average
login count of 180 logins per week was observed. As expected, one week
before the exams the login rate went up near to 1000 per week. According
to a survey of 6th-semester students, 79% indicated, that lack of
time for microscopic examination during the course could be well compensated
by the web-based platform. In the evaluation, students favored
that this environment offers more possibilities to provide additional information
like e.g. attendant macroscopic pictures.
Conclusions. A web-based virtual microscopy platform is an innovative
and valuable opportunity to enable students an independent and flexible
training in the recognition of different specimen. Furthermore,
nowadays students are used to multimedia and internet usage and can
learn and examine the slides any time at any place. The introduced platform
is in use for the second academic term with appropriate access
rates and runs stable with a low amount of administration. The internal
solution offers possibilities to enhance the education with further features
and information according the given lectures.