NPIC Unveils European First Leica Digital Pathology Scanner In Leeds

Leica Scanner with NPIC Scientist

Northern Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC) with its industry partner Leica Biosystems, a global leader in pathology workflow solutions, has announced that Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) is the first health organisation in Europe to have an Aperio GT 450 DX digital pathology scanner installed.

This next-generation imaging system was unveiled at the highly successful Leica Biosystems Digital Pathology Virtual Summit earlier this year and is now installed at the Centre of Excellence at LTHT.

During the summit, nearly 3,000 virtual attendees joined thought leaders from around the globe to hear about the latest topics and advances in digital pathology. The featured attraction: the Aperio GT 450 DX Scanner. Combining patented real-time focusing with custom-designed Leica objectives, it delivers excellent image quality and rapid scanning. This breakthrough technology enables laboratories to scale up digital pathology for high-throughput, routine diagnostics.

Dr. Darren Treanor, Consultant Pathologist, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK and Director of Northern Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC), was a presenter at the summit, discussing Digital Pathology and Artificial Intelligence in the NHS, and also spearheads digital pathology in NPIC, Leeds, who are the recipient of the first Aperio GT 450 DX Scanner in Europe.

“Our goal with the Aperio GT 450 DX System is to have a platform for high quality, standardised, 100% scanning for NPIC across 6 hospitals linked by a central PACS system,” stated Dr. Treanor. “Digital Pathology will lead in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, improving the quality and speed of pathology services for patients globally. The NHS is an ideal environment for the development of AI –  the NPIC vision is to be at the forefront of digital pathology and AI adoption, while maintaining strong foundations in routine clinical practice.”

“Artificial intelligence and digital pathology for clinical diagnosis have long been an integral part of our strategic roadmap,” said Colin White, Global Vice President, Advanced Staining and Imaging at Leica Biosystems.  “The practice of pathology will be transformed with the integration of whole slide images, advanced algorithms, and big data integrated into the PACS.  We are excited that the Aperio GT 450 DX delivers the technology that will allow healthcare professionals to realize their long-term vision, while providing immediate benefits in primary diagnosis such as improved throughput, reduced turnaround times and high-quality images.”