Imaging Services

Imaging Services - Offered through the Pitt Biospecimen Core for the Department of Pathology Informatics

Imaging services are offered through the Pitt Biospecimen Core (PBC). The digital imaging core facility offers clinical and research services. The imaging core has imaging equipment for generating, annotating, interpreting, storing and analyzing digital images. This facility provides pathologist oversight, technical support staff and space for imaging studies, validation, training and conferencing. Images can be securely hosted and made available to investigators for remote viewing or saved locally for investigators on a DVD, USB flash drive or external hard drive. 

Equipment: Imaging devices include Nikon digital cameras for macroscopic pathology and Spot insight cameras for microscopic imaging. For virtual microscopy at 20x, 40x and 60x magnification a variety of whole slide scanners (Omnyx, Aperio and Hamamatsu Nanozoomer) are available. The Nanozoomer has z-stack (multiple plane) capability. 


Image analysis: The imaging facility offers image algorithm development and image analysis. The Visiopharm platform is primarily used for this work, which allows cellular structures and biomarkers in tissue samples to be detected and quantified, automated alignment of serial tissue sections, and tissue microarray (TMA) image analysis. Quantitative image analysis of immunohistochemistry can also be performed on images using Aperio's nuclear, positive pixel count or membrane algorithms. 
     

Fee Schedule 

*Storage drive to be supplied by client; First 5 GB of on-site storage is at no charge 

Please Contact Us or email greenag@upmc.edu if you are interested in learning more about these services or using them.