FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2002
Contact: Ellen Beth Levitt eblevitt@umm.edu 410-328-8919
Bill Seiler bseiler@umm.edu 410-328-8919

INTERNET-CONNECTED MICROSCOPE SPEEDS DONOR TISSUE ASSESSMENT FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTS AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER

In study, average evaluation time dropped from 80 to 12.5 minutes

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center's Laboratories of Pathology have found that a system that sends microscopic images through the Internet can be used to accurately evaluate donor organ kidney tissue in a timely way. And they report that the new technology has enabled them to significantly reduce the time needed to assess the condition and suitability of organs for transplant. The average assessment time dropped from 80 minutes to 12.5 minutes.

"Transplant surgeons rely on the expertise of pathologists to determine the suitability of organs donated for transplantation. Our rapid response is imperative for the success of organ transplantation, since the sooner a transplant can occur after organ procurement, the better," says John C. Papadimitriou, M.D., Ph.D., head of Surgical Pathology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

In their 12-month study, the pathologists evaluated the MedMicroscopy system from Trestle Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Med Diversified, headquartered in Andover, MA.

Kidneys and other organs donated for transplant can arrive at a hospital at any time of the day or night. Using the MedMicroscopy viewer software and an Internet connection from their homes, the University of Maryland pathologists examined 50 frozen section slides from donor kidneys at the time the organs were delivered to the hospital. The system allowed them to see the slides on a desktop computer at home in real time. The pathologists were able to navigate the slides, while controlling the focus and illumination, in order to assess the tissues, eliminating the need to travel to the hospital.

The accuracy of the results obtained with the telepathology method was compared to the results obtained with the conventional method with an on-site reading at the hospital. Both the telepathology and the conventional method showed the same level of accuracy and reproducibility. With the telepathology method, however, the time required to provide a diagnosis represented only 15 percent of the time needed with the conventional method.

"By using the MedMicroscopy system, we've been able to speed up our pathology department's ability to bring our clinical opinions to bear on the important transplant work done at the University of Maryland Medical Center," adds Dr. Papadimitriou.

The medical center performs more than 400 kidney transplants each year, more than any other U.S. hospital.

Additional information regarding this research study can be found in the following abstract:

Brenner D, Drachenberg C, Gyure K, Henry M, Ioffe O, Sun CC, and Papadimitriou JC: Renal donor evaluation by real time telepathology (TP). 18th European Congress of Pathology, Berlin, Germany, Sept. 8-13, 2001. Virchows Archiv, 439 (3), 323-4, 2001.

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