Table 1

Proposed levels of standards in tissue-based diagnosis

Level

Legal aspects

Medical aspects

Technological aspects

1 (Highest, aims: what to do?)

privacy, image documentation, transmission, presentation

disease – image combination, human, automated diagnosis, archive

Image display, formats, transfer speed, safety, system dynamics

2 (Intermediate, implementation: how to do?)

encryption of privacy data, 10 years image archives, annotations of dates and viewing, precise hardware and software information

DICOM 3, HL 7, image resolution, fields of view, of sizes of biological objects and image access to archives and retrieval

PACS, image acquisition systems, image correction procedures, display resolution, image formats, storage, cycle frequency, backup procedures, operation system, external system accessibility

3 (Lowest, actual standard data: to do with what?)

Maximum error rate, individual prepositions, institutional characteristics.

Diagnosis frequencies, dates of continuous education, quality control.

Control check of devices and used systems, device and software maintenance.

Kayser et al. Diagnostic Pathology 2008 3:17   doi:10.1186/1746-1596-3-17