Interdisciplinary telecommunication and expert teleconsultation in diagnostic pathology: present status and future prospects

Telepathology can be performed in an active or a passive manner. There are two main types: interdisciplinary telepathology and expert teleconsultations. Interdisciplinary telepathology involves a pathologist and another specialist (e.g. a radiologist or endoscopist). It is mainly used in an active manner (i.e. online and in realtime) and has three purposes: to ensure correct tissue sampling, to provide additional diagnostic information to the pathologist, or to facilitate collaborative therapeutic or diagnostic decision making between the clinician and pathologist. Expert teleconsultations, typically between two pathologists, are mainly undertaken in passive mode (i.e. offline and using store-and-forward techniques). The Internet often serves as a platform for both types of telepathology application. Experience with interdisciplinary telepathology is rare at present and is usually limited to partners at a local institution. The efficiency and accuracy of expert teleconsultations in telepathology have been demonstrated in numerous studies. In future, the application of expert teleconsultation in pathology will expand, with the Internet as the communications medium. Interdisciplinary telepathology is a promising technique to improve diagnostic quality.