“We’re all doctors. We all got into this field for a reason: the patient is central to everything we do. Using Lumea technology simply results in a better end product for our patients,” said Dr. Adam Cole, a GU pathologist who has seen firsthand the transformative power of digital pathology and AI in prostate cases.
Traditional pathology workflows, while effective, have inherent inefficiencies and limitations—especially for high-volume samples like prostate biopsies. Over decades, the promises of digital pathology often failed to deliver significant improvements. However, with the advent of Lumea’s technologies—like the BxBoard® and BxChip®—the field is finally witnessing measurable advances in efficiency, diagnostic accuracy, and patient outcomes.
Reducing False-Negative Prostate Cancer Results
Prostate cancer detection has long been plagued by high false-negative rates, with some studies estimating rates as high as 30%. Much of this stems from tissue fragmentation and twisting during preservation and transport. Lumea’s BxBoard directly addresses this issue by replacing traditional formalin jars with a formalin-soaked sponge that secures up to six biopsy cores in designated lanes. This design maintains tissue orientation and integrity, reducing fragmentation and enhancing the amount of visible tissue available for histologic review.
Once in the lab, tissue is transferred to the BxChip, a tissue-mimetic array that holds the cores throughout processing, embedding, and staining. This continuous preservation ensures higher tissue yield and reduces errors, allowing for better cancer detection rates and better use of digital pathology tools such as artificial intelligence. Dr. Cole’s own practice has seen cancer detection rates rise to 60% compared to the national average of 45-50%, translating to 10-15% more true-positive diagnoses.
Enhancing Efficiency with AI
Lumea’s innovations extend beyond hardware. The integration of AI into its digital pathology workflows provides substantial efficiency gains. By leveraging AI algorithms on digitized slides, pathologists can annotate and review cases more rapidly and efficiently. Features like automated tumor size calculation and involvement percentage reduce the manual effort required to populate pathology reports. For Dr. Cole, this has translated into a 50% reduction in diagnostic time per case.
Traditional workflows required navigating between physical slides and digital records, dictating or typing findings, and performing repetitive tasks for each case. Lumea’s platform, however, allows pathologists to focus entirely on the digital screen, with reports auto-generated as they annotate slides. The result? Faster case sign-outs, lower labor costs, and improved diagnostic precision.
Transforming Patient Care
At the heart of these advancements is the commitment to patient-centered care. By reducing false negatives, accelerating test results, and improving efficiency, Lumea technology empowers clinicians to deliver better outcomes. Dr. Cole’s practice is a testament to this transformation, demonstrating how innovative workflows can expand services and elevate the standard of care.
Lumea’s journey into digital pathology began with the realization that true innovation required reimagining the entire histopathology process. Today, their technologies not only enhance lab operations but also advance prostate cancer care on a global scale. By harmonizing tissue handling with digital and AI tools, Lumea is setting new standards for efficiency and quality in pathology, ensuring that every patient receives the care they deserve.
This article was featured in the Digital Diagnostic Digest, a quarterly magazine by the Digital Diagnostic Summit. To read more stories like this one and for other digital pathology news and tips, subscribe to the digest today.
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