Common Pitfalls within Digital Pathology

The digital image is a high-resolution, reproducible copy of a tissue section on a glass slide, but it is not an exact replica in every way and the same tissue samples may appear different when scanned with different instruments, viewed on different displays or even assessed with various software programs. It is therefore important that the study pathologist is familiar with the character and nuances of the scanning system in use, and the original glass specimen be available as a reference or to resolve any differences in opinion.