Medical treatment technology, Diagnostic technology

## Life Sciences

Development of the “Virtual Slide Imaging System” - an innovation-matching style of technology development

Keyword: Telemedicine system, Automatic cancer diagnosis device development, Technology development by combining local businesses and advanced technologies

Organizations Involved

○ Tatsusuke Sato, Professor, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences.

O Tomisato Miura, Lecturer, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences.

O Hiroyuki Nozaka, Assistant Professor, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences

O Terumasa Takamatsu, Chief Executive Officer, CLARO.INC.

Professor Sato Lecturer Miura Assistant Professor Nozaka

Chief Executive Officer

## 【Abatract】

At Hirosaki University Graduate School of Health Sciences, we have studied basic technology for the development of automated system that carried out the automatic histological diagnosis of the cancer. The development of new medical systems are required that not only technological seeds and field needs in university or hospital but also image processing technology, factory automation technology and tele-communication technology in local businesses. We combined these factors, and succeeded in developing the "virtual slide imaging system." This is the only system that is possible to use tele-pathological diagnosis of frozen tissue sections. In selling this system, we have established a partnership with a nationwide major distributor and have also been receiving funding from national funds.

## [Summary of the technology transfer]

## Technological Impact

- The system was possible to get high magnification whole digital images of histopathological tissue sections, and we succeeded for the first time in the development in Japan. Currently the system starts to have been introduced into the specific hospital designated by MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) for the cancer therapy.

- The second-generation system developed in 2006 is utilized for the quantification analysis system for immunostained specimens in histopathology, the Image process device for TMA(Tissue micro arrays) and the analysis system for TMA.

## ●Market Impact and Social Impact

This system has various applications, such as in (1) the telemedicine system between medical centers and local hospitals which a pathologist is not available; (2) a diagnosis conference system between a pathologist of the specific hospital designated by MHLW and the specialists in histopathology; and (3) a country-wide surveillance system for the standardization of diagnosis. Furthermore, a second-generation system was put into practical use and put into the market in 2006. This second-generation system has new image-processing technology for analysis system. Through the features listed above, our system is making a contribution toward the improvement of pathological diagnosis in Japan.

## Special Features of the Collaboration

By bringing together both technological seeds and needs jointly from industry and academia, practical realization of the needs-based system has become possible. The repercussion effects our project will have as a successful example of putting the industry-academia-government collaborations formed at academic conferences and other events into practice is huge. Considering that our collaborative venture has brought local businesses into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's (METI) emerging collaboration project that led to the ensuring of job security and nurturing of the technical experts, the repercussion effects this project has created is significant.

## Project Background

The university researchers actively participated in forums for industry-academia-government collaborative interactions and frequently visited local businesses with a coordinator. Through these activities, the researchers came to learn about the image processing technology of a local company that is useful as a medical technology, and developed the technology into a joint research and development.

## Funding History

1. 2004-2005: Consortium for Regional Revitalization project fund from METI.

## V irtual Slide Imaging System

2.2004: Communications and Broadcasting Start-up Venture fund from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

3.2005: Feasibility-testing project fund from the Japan Science and Technology Agency Iwate Satellite Office.

## I ntellectual property protection

National patent 7, International patent 2「Automatic preparation exchanging apparatus. Application number 2004-111337」

「Slide image data generation device and slide image data. Application number 2005-113354」, and others.

The system achieves a complete digitization of slide images by high-speed scanning of the slide glasses under high magnification and applying image-processing technologies, such as tiling. It is the only system that has a full-field auto focusing mechanism.

## Turning point in the Project

People involved in the project are equal. One needs to respect one another.

O Even what seems like an impossibility can be realized if one tries in earnest.

O Needs and seeds exist in both fields.