With the right infrastructure in place, telepathology services can promote the education and cooperation of pathologists across the globe – resulting in enhanced cancer diagnosis and care. The implementation of telepathology relies on the local availability of instruments that can capture high-resolution digital images of pathology slides. These instruments are often costly, which limits the facilities that can participate in telepathology programs. To assist the University Hospital Center of Butare’s (CHUB) launch of telepathology, BVGH supported Dr. Elisée Hategekimana (CHUB) and Dr. Kelsey Hummel’s (Baylor College of Medicine [BCM])* successful application for a College of American Pathologists Global Pathology Development Grant.
With this grant, Dr. Hategekimana and Dr. Hummel partnered with OpenFlexure – the developer of an open-access, 3D printed microscope that directly connects to a computer and captures digital slide images – to place and validate a 3D printed microscope at CHUB. OpenFlexure researcher Joe Knapper, Dr. Hummel, and Dr. Daniel Rosen (BCM) joined Dr. Hategekimana in Rwanda to assemble the 3D printed microscope and train CHUB pathologists and residents on its use. Following the training at CHUB, Dr. Hategekimana and his colleagues have met with Dr. Hummel and Dr. Rosen each month to review CHUB pathology slides and compare their findings. To date, the team has reviewed 4 cases through telepathology, with plans to conduct additional differentials in the upcoming weeks. The team will continue their monthly meetings to support CHUB pathology staff’s educational needs and to explore research opportunities.
*Dr. Hummel is currently a cytopathology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.