Outpatient frozen sections by telepathology in a Veterans Administration medical center

Hum Pathol. 2000 Jul;31(7):786-8. doi: 10.1053/hupa.2000.8451.

Abstract

A relatively simple telepathology system is described for evaluating the margins of excision of cutaneous basal and squamous carcinomas. The system uses a microscope with a built-in television camera, but no eyepieces. The image is projected onto an adjacent monitor and transmitted by T1 line at 768 Kbs to a remote, large screen monitor. The microscope is operated by the surgeon under the telephone direction of the pathologist at the remote site. In a series of 66 cases involving more than 400 individual tissue blocks, we have had only 2 cases with false-negative interpretations and 2 in which the block was not fully displayed on the frozen section. In 15 cases, 1 or more surgical margins were positive, and the surgeon proceeded to excise additional tissue. Our success is attributed to dedicated involvement by the surgeon, very high-quality frozen sections, and the experience of the pathologist.

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Surgical Procedures*
  • Carcinoma, Basal Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Frozen Sections*
  • Hospitals, Veterans*
  • Humans
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Telepathology*