Philips digital pathology open platform enabled for AI integration
Open AI platform strategy helps to achieve productivity and efficiency gains
More than 35 labs use the Philips pathology solution with Ibex Medical Analytics Galen AI diagnostics platform. This combined solution has shown productivity gains of up to 37%1. Philips offers an open AI (Artificial Intelligence) platform strategy. Philips was the world’s first vendor to release an IVD-labeled digital pathology system2and is helping the world move to digital pathology through the iSyntax image format for storing pathology whole slide images (WSI) and is committed to incorporate the DICOM standard.
Healthcare IT: the nuances of integration & interoperability
Pathology is just embarking on its digitization journey, and there are multiple ways that departments can promote interoperability in partnership with industry. Standardizing whole slide image formats and promoting tight integration between different software systems will benefit not just individual users but also healthcare systems.
In this whitepaper is shown how interoperability is closely related to investment in the future and will be integral to improving both pathologist workflow and the standard of care available for patients today. Check out how!
Demonstrated results in digital pathology
1st
vendor in the world to release a digital pathology system for primary diagnosis[2]
300+
pathologists around the world rely on Philips digital pathology
38
million+, scanned slides with Philips digital pathology
100%
of pathologists agree. In a survey of pathologists who have gone digital, each one said they would never go back.[4]
Features
iSyntax format for pathology images
The Pathology SDK format stores pathology whole slide images (WSI) with wavelet transformation technology that allows users to quickly zoom and pan through WSI images. Encoding and decoding can be processed in real time, and in a 25% smaller file size than other formats requiring redundant storage of lower-magnification images.iSyntax pathology format allows for medical image quality with arbitrarily high bit-depths, an unlimited number of channels, lossless and lossy compression and progressive decompression in terms of resolution and quality.
DICOM file format for digital pathology
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is the international standard for medical images and related patient information. Originally developed for radiology, DICOM was recently adopted for other medical domains,including digital pathology, to promote standardization and interoperability between systems. Without a DICOM standard, each digital pathology vendor had developed its own proprietary format.
Pathology Image File Viewer
Part of the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution (PIPS), this standalone viewer software allows users to view and annotate whole slide images (WSI) stored in the iSyntax format. It provides basic viewing (zoom and pan) and annotation functionalities for locally stored WSI files in software rendering mode. The Pathology Image File Viewer is not intended for diagnostic, monitoring or therapeutic purposes or in any other manner for regular medical practice.
Philips Pathology SDK
The Pathology SDK[3] is a software development kit used to read metadata and pixel data from a file conforming to the iSyntax image format specification. Philips Pathology SDK enables software developers and research scientists to smoothly work with data stored in the iSyntax format to create innovative applications built on the strong foundation of the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution (PIPS). Pathology SDK provides Python and C++ based interfaces and supports graphics processing unit (GPU) and central processing unit (CPU) rendering of iSyntax files.
Philips Pathology De-Identifier
Facilitates the selection and de-identified export of WSI created in the PIPS. Philips Pathology De-Identifier allows users to query WSls available in the IMS sub-system of PIPS by applying filters on the metadata attributes associated with the WSls and cases in IMS. Pathology De-identifier de-identifies and exports the selected WSls to a target location provided by the user.
If you leave the microscope behind, would you ever go back?
Not many would. In a survey of 52 pathologists, 100% of them said that going digital helps reach diagnostic consensus and that they would never go back to non-digital.[4] The Philips PIPS solution of digital pathology slide scanners, the Image Management System (IMS) and a comprehensive set of software tools and capabilities, you can easily connect with supporting sub-specialists around the world on the quest for quick and confident diagnostic decisions that enhance patient care.
Digital pathology open platform technology is available on
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Pathology Scanner SG60
SG60 is designed to accommodate laboratories with a lean workflow and need to scan small batches of slides to achieve operational excellence and short turnaround times by scanning batches in parallel. With a high throughput, high first time right rate and load and walk away scanning, the SG60 enables you to digitize your histology samples and obtain high quality clinical diagnostic images for routine use and integrated pathology networks.
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Pathology Scanner SG300
SG300 is designed to accommodate laboratories for high volume labs that want to maximize scanner utilization and further reduce the total cost of ownership per slide by means of overnight scanning. With a high throughput, high first time right rate and load and walk away scanning, the SG300 enables you to digitize your histology samples and obtain high quality clinical diagnostic images for routine use and integrated pathology networks.
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IntelliSite Image Management System
Consisting of a pathology viewer and a server and storage application, IntelliSite Image Management System (IMS) is designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your pathology lab. The open, scalable design and new user interface integrate into your workflow and IT infrastructure environment. The IMS manages image repositories – including whole slide images (WSI) and gross images – and comprehensive LIS integration, networking, security, audit trail and archiving capabilities. Easy access to information and resources can enhance digital case review.
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“At Ohio State University, we have an end-to-end digital pathology system, utilizing the Philips Digital Pathology platform. This journey started in 2017 and today our team averages more than 2,300 scans per day. We are embarking on deploying AI-based diagnostic and decision support tools.”
Dr. Anil Parwani,
Professor of Pathology, Vice Chair and Director of Anatomical Pathology,
Director of Pathology Informatics and Director of Digital PathologyThe Ohio State University Medical Center
Philips has helped more than 30 labs – and counting – upgrade to fully digital operations. Using Philips digital pathology aids productivity because it eliminates time-consuming administrative tasks, reduces costs and enhances lab performance.
Philips is helping pathology practices transform and scale for a seamless transition from analog to digital pathology workflows, as well as embrace the future with an open platform with broader hospital and AI Integration options.
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Footnotes
The Philips Digital Pathology solution is a bundle of: Pathology Scanner Second Generation SG20/ SG60/ SG300 • Image Management System Viewer • Image Management System Application Server and Storage Software • High quality 27” monitor validated with the IVD solution (US only)
* Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution (PIPS) can be used for in vitro diagnostic purposes. The system can aid pathologists to review and interpret digital images of surgical pathology slides prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue. PIPS is not available for sale in all countries. PIPS enables iSyntax files with SDK; third-party companies can use this for AI capabilities. The Software Development Kit (SDK) and File Viewer is not intended for diagnostic, monitoring or therapeutic purposes or in any other manner for regular medical practice.
Philips was the world’s first vendor to release an in vitro diagnostic (IVD)-labeled digital pathology system (both CE-IVD in 2013 and an FDA De Novo clearance in 2017).
1. Philips digital pathology solution in combination with the Ibex Medical Analytics Galen™ AI diagnostics platform: Raoux, et al. Modern Pathology (2021) 34 (suppl 2): 598-599.
2. FDA.gov - FDA allows marketing of first whole slide imaging system for digital pathology - https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-allows-marketing-first-whole-slide-imaging-system-digital-pathology
3. PIPS enables iSyntax files and with the Software Development Kit (SDK), third-party companies can use this for AI capabilities.
4. Survey of 52 pathologists, lab managers and lab technicians in Europe, 2018.
