Ventana and Barco Alliance to Revolutionize Digital Pathology Viewing Experience

Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (VMSI; Tucson, AZ, USA), member of the Roche Group, has announced the signing of a worldwide agreement with healthcare imaging expert Barco, Inc. (Kortrijk Belgium) to provide Barco's leading diagnostic and clinical review display systems for use with Ventana’s Virtuoso image and workflow management system, offering a turnkey solution that provides consistent whole slide image viewing with efficiency.

"This agreement represents a fusion of digital pathology visualization technologies from two of the industry's most innovative healthcare leaders," said Steve Burnell, PhD, digital pathology and workflow lifecycle leader at VMSI; "The Ventana integrated digital pathology solution, now including Barco's products, will appeal to the most discerning practitioners."

The advantages of medical grade displays over commercial off-the-shelf monitors include enhanced contrast; color accuracy and sharpness; prolonged image stability over time; and the ability to calibrate the screen for optimal viewing. Barco's Coronis Fusion 4MP DL diagnostic color display and MDRC-2124 wide-screen clinical monitor offer these capabilities and more for precise, high confidence viewing. Barco's system supports effortless and precise panning and zooming on whole slide images. Moreover, the display system includes Barco's MediCal Awe, an automated, real-time calibration system that provides high image quality and consistency across the screen for the life of the display.

Ventana’s Virtuoso is a comprehensive, web-based software application. From initial slide scanning to complete reporting, the Virtuoso software supports multiple users, enabling remote viewing of slide images, online collaboration sessions with other pathologists, and slide sharing of images. Its intuitive user interfaces are customized for the workflow of pathologists, histotechnologists, lab administrators, and clinicians, enhancing efficiencies throughout the process.

"We are delighted to forge this exciting alliance with Ventana as we solidify our ongoing commitment to the digital pathology market," said Mike Sklar, vice president sales, healthcare, at Barco, North America; "Ventana offers all the ingredients for a successful partnership: in-depth market knowledge, a passion for technology excellence, and unwavering dedication to customer needs—all of the tenets that Barco upholds."

Related Links:
Ventana Medical Systems
Medical Imaging Systems at Barco, Inc.