Break free from the laboratory. Enable remote cytology analysis from anywhere there is an internet connection.
Product
Bacteriology Digital Manual Review
Overview
Techcyte’s Bacteriology Digital Manual Review solution enables bacteriologists to perform analyses of gram stain samples remotely, without the need to be in the laboratory peering through a microscope. It also enables secondary consultation by colleagues, resulting in quicker turnaround times for labs and better working environment for technologists and bacteriologists.
The Techcyte Platform is CE marked in the EU. It is for investigational use only and not for diagnostic use in the US.
Challenge & Solution
Gram stain reading is a lab test that requires expert presence at the microscope, often requires second review for confirmation, culture confirmation and slide storage and retrieval. Each of these points presents obstacles that are difficult for labs to manage.
With Techcyte’s Bacteriology Digital Manual Review, samples can be scanned on-site, then automatically uploaded to Techcyte’s servers where they are immediately available for remote consultation by specialists.
This reduces the time necessary for labs to receive samples, and improves the conditions for image analysis with on-screen images. Being digital also removes the need for physical slide storage, and makes slide retrieval instantaneous.
How It Works
4-step process:
Create slides
Slides are prepared by smear or cytospin using proprietary slides.
Gram stain and coverslip are then applied to slides prior to scanning.
Scan slides
The fiducial markers on the slides are used to aid the scanner in focussing at 80x magnification. Images are then automatically uploaded to Techcyte.
Review Images
Bacteriologists can simply log into Techcyte’s web-based interface to perform their slide analysis. The UI presents 2 views, a 10x view and a high-power 100x view of automatically-selected FOVs.
External consultation or review can be requested.
Record Results
Each reviewer can save individual notes on samples, entering presence of bacteria and organisms of interest, as well as prevalence. Results are then sent via API to the LIS.
Sample Types
- Altered Skin/Wound Swabs
- Bone Marrow
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage
- Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Cytospun Body Fluids
- ENT
- Eye
- Genital
- Genitourinary
- Pus
- Respiratory
- Sterile Collection
- Synovial Fluid
Supported Scanners
Hamamatsu S360
80x scanning, 40x 0.95 NA objective
Features
- State-of-the-art platform
- Remote consultation from any web-enabled device
- Slide scanning using patent-pending slides for both cytospun and smeared samples
- Quick location and retrieval of slides while working on the corresponding culture
- Annotation of rare bacteria or areas of interest
- All digital LIS integration via API
- Digital archiving & storage of slides
Benefits
Rapidly correlate results with the culture
Eliminate 14 days of boxes of slides
Annotations facilitate QC and secondary review
Images available for educational purposes
Permanent record of gram stains
Better working environment for techs, less repetitive stress injuries