Virtual Microscopy as a Tool for Proficiency Testing in Cytopathology: A Model Using Multiple Digital Images of Papanicolaou Tests

Abstract

A simple virtual microscopy method designed to challenge participants to locate and diagnose cells of interest was effective for the administration of standardized proficiency tests. Virtual microscopy methods that rely on single-plane images to locate and diagnose cells of interest could provide effective proficiency testing tools prior to the development of more computationally intensive systems that represent an entire Papanicolaou test at multiple focal planes.