Other than looking at some EQA and educational cases digitally, I had not worked with images rather than glass slides before starting with LDPath. To begin with, I was sent the glass slide after they had been scanned, so that I could compare the two. This was before the RCPath document on digital pathology had been produced, and the concept of validation of digital images was novel.

Perhaps the biggest advantage though is with the flow of work. When reporting, I don’t need to wait for the mail or a courier to deliver the slides, with the added risk of slides going missing or becoming damaged. As soon as the work is scanned, it becomes available for me to report. This minimises movement of slides from the base hospital. In addition, once scanned, the case can be shared with other pathologists at distant sites for second opinions, or even used by the originating hospital for local or MDT review.

I have now reported more than 2,500 cases digitally with LDPath, and it is by far my preferred method of working, with the knowledge that the glass slides can be viewed if necessary, although I rarely find the need for this.