Any scanner. Same software – Standardised

Harpenden, UK — Tuesday 2^nd September — PathQA today announced the launch of its Sierra DICOM-ICC solution, a world-first colour standardisation tool capable of converting proprietary scanner image formats to the DICOM standard whilst embedding scanner-specific ICC profiles, which correct the digital colour of whole slide images.

Whether a lab uses different scanners or diverse image management systems, the process is effortless and universal: scan a Sierra calibration slide with the scanner used to make whole slide images, click a button in PathQA VS-Profiler software to convert each image. The result: every pixel in every image is colour standardised to the ground-truth of Sierra Slide in the globally interoperable DICOM format for viewing in any DICOM IMS. With labs needing to guarantee quality assurance (QA) and to view, share and compare digital images from different scanners within the same image management system (IMS), this launch marks a significant milestone for the industry.

“Colour drift and proprietary file formats have impacted digital pathology and AI for too long,” said Dr. Rick Salmon, CEO of PathQA. “This new function empowers users to embed individual scanner ICC colour correction into the DICOM standard to suit their own QA frequency. This ensures that any scanned images are always speaking the same language, and users can independently maintain real-time quality to prevent impacts of scanner drift, rather than rely on infrequent servicing. The result: pathologists gain diagnostic confidence from any image source, AI models deliver reliable results from consistent input data, pre-clinical pharma and CROs can reliably share and validate cross-site GLP data, and healthcare systems realise vendor-agnostic interoperability with digital colour quality assured.”

Universal Benefits, Zero Lock-In

• Pathologists can move away from locked-in proprietary file formats and benefit from consistent diagnostic colours across all solutions.
• AI developers can avoid expensive and insufficient big-data normalisations whilst eliminating debilitating domain shift to improve algorithm robustness, via standardisation preventing variability.
• Healthcare networks can integrate scanners and software from any vendor, without concerning themselves with their system’s prior interoperability.
• Patients benefit from more reproducible, reliable results based on reportable QA metrics.
• Pharma and CRO can enhance and monitor GLP across sites and partners whilst maximising ROI on the same scanner and software infrastructure.

PathQA’s Sierra DICOM-ICC solution has been tested by leading IMS and viewer platforms including Aiforia Clinical, Aurora mScope, Gestalt PathFlow, Gpi4Med.PATHOLOGY, Ibex, Indica Labs HALO/HALO Link, Lumea Viewer +, PathAI AISight, Pathomation, Pathpresenter, Proscia Concentriq, Sectra, TechCyte Fusion^® Tribun Health CaloPix^®, Visiopharm and several open-source viewers.

About PathQA

PathQA is a leading provider of quality assurance solutions specifically designed for the digital pathology industry. The company focuses on ensuring accuracy, reliability, and consistency in digital imaging, which is essential for effective diagnostics and research. PathQA offers innovative tools that measure and standardize colour reproduction across pathology scanners, addressing one of the most significant challenges in digital pathology—accurate image colour representation of stained tissue. By enabling consistent quality control, PathQA’s products support AI-driven diagnostics, improve scanner performance, and help laboratories adhere to industry-wide quality standards. With its comprehensive solutions, PathQA plays a vital role in advancing precision medicine and enhancing the reliability of digital pathology workflows.