INTRODUCTION

For several years now individuals in the UK reporting breast cytopathology have participated in external quality assurance schemes where a set of slides are circulated. Participants are asked to submit their diagnoses anonymously. These opinions and diagnoses are collected centrally and the collated results showing the spread of diagnoses discussed by the participants. Individuals whose opinions differ widely from those given by the majority of the participants have the opportunity to review the material and adjust their diagnostic criteria if necessary. It is believed that this method of quality assurance improves consistency of diagnosis.

The aim of this project is to find out whether an external quality assurance scheme can be carried out using image distributed over the Internet thus avoiding the lengthy delays between viewing the material and finding out what the opinions of the other participants are and the risks of breakage and fading of the slides which are inherent in any scheme using unique glass slides.

We would appreciate your cooperation in this project. This will entail looking at a number of images of microscope fields and giving your opinion on the diagnosis, and the suitability of the image quality and number (Diagnosis) . In addition if you could comment on the page design and method of accessing the images (Page Design Questionnaire) . All diagnoses are recorded anonymously. Although we ask you for some data about yourself this will not be linked to the diagnoses you submit.

Minimum requirements:

Access to the cases:

Other Interesting sites:

The Internet Pathology Laboratory for Medical Eduction: http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/webpath.html

Telematics and Quantitative Pathology : http://www.mds.qmw.ac.uk/histopath/welcome.htm

University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Pathology. : http://pinnacle.jr2.ox.ac.uk/ndp/EQA/NBEQA962.html

Intro Page. / Last updated 7th April1998

This page, and all contents including images, are Copyright © 1997 by E Gray and Edinburgh University, Department of Pathology, Teviot Place, Edinburgh Eh8 9AG, UK. and by designated contributors. All rights reserved.