In my projects we didn't use any equipment for microscopic work, it wasn't required for the type of telehealth work we were doing.

Sure, small pics at low resolution and it will be easy and low cost. The larger the image/resolution the higher the demand for compression or broadband data transmisson. To make it simple it pretty much depends on the internet connection all participants have. With my DSL 1000 I "couldn't go very far". People with VDSL at 25000 or 50000 will probably have no troubles what soever.

Hi Dag, can you please let me know which camera you use. I am looking for a camera which can be connected to the microscope (C-mount) and which can transmit the live image via internet e.g. via Skype to other medical doctors for diagnostics. This would be interesting for frozen section during surgery. We cannot use a VPN as we work with doctors in developing countries.

I use a very cheap one TECMON. It is most probably Chinese made. Simple software comes with it. It is not as good as Leica and Hitachi, we also use in the institute, but for simple purposes it is enough. (5MB = 2592 x 1944 pixel, downgradeable ~200€)

thanks a lot for you answer. I had a look at the TECMON pages. However I don't see exactly how a person who is in another hospitals can see the live picture of your microscope from somewhere in the world by using the internet. Does it work with Skype to show the live image to your colleague? Can we test it? Can you connect me to your microscope over the internet, so that I can see on my computer, what you see through your microscope?

I guess it should work with skype - only that Skype will probably reduce the pixel number further, so detail may be lost. I have never tried it. I only have teamviewer, but I wouldn't use that for this task as you have to grant other people right to use you PC. That could only be used by people knowing and trusting each other....

I just googled, and found http://www.nefsis.com/. They have a free trail maybe it could be worth a try. You can call me at +49-221-9732955 ...

Da Du ja in einer Firma dieser Sparte arbeitest, dürftet Ihr ja über genügend Softwarewege verfügen

One question, in your scenario where is the camera, with you or with them?

The microscope needs the camera, preferably on an trinocular tube. There are cheapest ones that you can stick in one of the binocular tubes instead of one ocular lens. That makes it difficult to view the slide quickly on the microscope. Anything that lengthens the procedures will make the setting unfavorable and uneasy to use.. The lady above works for a company who tries to solve problems in those settings of remote microscopy and such. There is always a problem of resolution on low bandwidth internet connections. Discussions on real time shared microscopy is not easy or inexpensively to achieve. Either you will lack speed or picture quality.....

I understood that, the question behind my first one is: what direction are the images going? Because that is the very first problem that could block the project.

As you said, the determinant factors are: bandwidth (donwload AND upload), and camera quality. I would refine, first, the camera and video software have to use a very good algorithm for the compression to maximize details and minimize file size, this can be difficult (and/or expensive) to archieve. Second, as you know, intraoperative exams suffer from "thick slices", that could be solved in two ways, sending a video stream (conditiones by the above factors), or using focus-staking software but that would make unviable real time exams. Obviously this is just a superficial approach to the matter, but I think these are decisive conditionals factors. Anyway, I think that this is a challenging project, not trying to validate the "FedEx argument".

I gained some experience in remote pathology.

In clear cut cases where you are the surgeon and need the yes or no answer is this nodule breast cancer or not. Many surgeons in remote places know for sure in what? 90% or more of the cases in accordance with preliminary (eg radiographic) results what they operate on. Then a quick picture can bring even more certainty. All those subtle questions: clear margins, neuroendocrine tumors, rare tumors, and so on are nothing for remote pathology in my view.

If thick slices are your problem in many cases an imprint cytology could be of quite good help. But again it is only for relatively clear cut questions. Anything more subtle should be dealt with a lot of caution

I am not sure that a imprint is feasible in that scenario, but I totally agree with you.

Hi Anna, sorry for the late entry to this discussion, you may have resolved your situation already. Both Nikon & Olympus offer what you require with cameras that utilize the c-mount. You will require a fully motorized microsope to "drive" it remotely. We also utilized the Nikon Coolscope at a remote location for frozen sections that was "driven" by the Reporting Pathologist here at the metropolitan hospital. Transmission over the internet will be the issue for live imaging. However if this is prohibitive, you may be successful with sending still images but it comes down to training and communication between sites.

Contact me for further info if you have any questions.

Regards

Naomi

dear Anna, apologize for my late answ. can you write to my [email protected] amyway...I use mobile-phone camera starting from 0.8 pxl and...YES,...it is possible in real time see..... ;)

Hi all I just stumbled across this thread and can share the work we have been doing for the past few years developing a remote microscope network throughout Australia and the region. We use a Nikon DS-L3 digital sight connected to a microscope camera to share real-time live video of microscope specimens. Diagnosticians can access the camera via an IP address and view specimens and offer taxonomic opinion for plant pests. We have set up about sixty microscopes in this way across our region and have developed software to facilitate the process and to capture images and discussion during a live session. Each session is captured as a unique record and stored in a database. I can help with further technical details for those interested in the setup. Our team won The Australian Innovation Award two years ago for our remote microscope network. Cheers G Kong

Article Remote microscopy: A success story in Australian and New Zea...

Hi Gary

Your set up sounds great .I have a Leica icc50hd camera on my microscope and I,m looking for a system to connect it to more microscopes.

Dear Anna,

you can use several and several kind of camera, but my work born with an emergency (personal, in Lampedusa!...) after that I took the decision to share with all who needs , easy, cheap solution in low resource settings , but mainly, the m-phone is always present. I used , for first Nokia N 73, (my phone at that time ) after

Nokia N 80, and I phone- but it is possible with all m-phones -

and YES, you can view

Thanks to all of you for your answers. We found a solution which allows to connect a small c-mount camera to the phototube of a microscope. This camera will be connected via USB to a computer. Now we use our own web-based telediagnostics software CampusMedicus. Everybody registered on CampusMedicus can view the real time video of the remote microscope (not an automatic one). Everyone who sees the video can capture single images into the patient case. No software installation is needed. Unlimited users can participate in the live microscope session. The participants can talk to each other and chat during the remote real-time microscope video. It runs in developing countries, as it does not need high speed internet. Let me know if anybody is interested in more information.