Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34221648›Full record

ArticleBiomedical optics express2021

Deep learning automated pathology in ex vivo microscopy.

Marc Combalia, Sergio Garcia, Josep Malvehy, Susana Puig, Alba Guembe Mülberger, James Browning, Sandra Garcet, James G Krueger, Samantha R Lish, Rivka Lax and 8 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biomedical optics express, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. S1 guideline for imaging diagnostics for skin diseases.Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG · 2025
    Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Breast tissue imaging atlas using ultra-fast confocal microscopy to identify cancer lesions.Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology · 2025
    Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. [Artificial intelligence in ex vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy].Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete · 2021
    Review
  18. Article
  19. Deep learning with transfer learning in pathology. Case study: classification of basal cell carcinoma.Romanian journal of morphology and embryology = Revue roumaine de morphologie et embryologie
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Marc CombaliaDepartment of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Sergio GarciaDepartment of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4331-4707
Josep MalvehyDepartment of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Susana PuigDepartment of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1337-9745
Alba Guembe MülbergerThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5039-8705
James BrowningThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2796-3996
Sandra GarcetThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
James G KruegerThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Samantha R LishThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Rivka LaxThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0378-1175
Jeannie RenThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6911-8352
Mary StevensonMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Nicole DoudicanMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
John A CarucciMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Manu JainRonald O. Pearlman Department of Dermatology, New York University, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6035-0825
Kevin WhiteDepartment of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3303 South Bond Avenue, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
Jaroslav RakosSurgiVance Inc., 310 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3677-5265
Daniel S GareauThe Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9759-1198
Rockefeller University · USUniversitat de Barcelona · ESNew York University · USCovance (United States) · USMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · USOregon Health & Science University · US

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI Nicholas D Socci · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Standard histopathology is currently the gold standard for assessment of margin status in Mohs surgical removal of skin cancer. Ex vivo confocal microscopy (XVM) is potentially faster, less costly and inherently 3D/digital compared to standard histopathology. Despite these advantages, XVM use is not widespread due, in part, to the need for pathologists to retrain to interpret XVM images. We developed artificial intelligence (AI)-driven XVM pathology by implementing algorithms that render intuitive XVM pathology images identical to standard histopathology and produce automated tumor positivity maps. XVM images have fluorescence labeling of cellular and nuclear biology on the background of endogenous (unstained) reflectance contrast as a grounding counter-contrast. XVM images of 26 surgical excision specimens discarded after Mohs micrographic surgery were used to develop an XVM data pipeline with 4 stages: flattening, colorizing, enhancement and automated diagnosis. The first two stages were novel, deterministic image processing algorithms, and the second two were AI algorithms. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were calculated for basal cell carcinoma detection as proof of principal for the XVM image processing pipeline. The resulting diagnostic readouts mimicked the appearance of histopathology and found tumor positivity that required first collapsing the confocal stack to a 2D image optimized for cellular fluorescence contrast, then a dark field-to-bright field colorizing transformation, then either an AI image transformation for visual inspection or an AI diagnostic binary image segmentation of tumor obtaining a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 88% and 91% respectively. These results show that video-assisted micrographic XVM pathology could feasibly aid margin status determination in micrographic surgery of skin cancer.

Identifiers

PMID34221648
PMCPMC8221965
OpenAlexW3141263971

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.