IDEXX Digital Cytology

Whole-slide imaging takes advantage of recent advances in digital technology, such as computer processing, software, data transfer speeds, and cloud storage, to enable pathologists to examine specimens as if they were looking through your microscope. Unlike microscope cameras that acquire images of a portion of a slide, whole slide imaging captures high-resolution images of the entire slide. This reduces the risk of missing a critical area of interest by enabling the entire diagnostic yield to be assessed by the pathologist.

IDEXX employs over 150 full-time pathologists to support pathology testing in North America. Our pathologists come from world-class veterinary universities from around the world. Learn more about our pathology team.

The IDEXX Digital Cytology instrument provides digital images to our IDEXX pathologists for review and interpretation. Once the IDEXX pathologist receives the digital images, they will make their interpretation and provide their expert assessment in a report with images. Their contact information will be provided on the report for you to connect with them directly if you have questions over their interpretation or next steps.

The instrument does leverage artificial intelligence to recognize the slide and provide a recommendation for the area of interest for image scanning. It does not interpret the cells on the slide. The digital image is sent to an IDEXX pathologist, who then assesses and provides interpretation via a report with images.

You will receive your results within 2 hours of order status showing “At the lab” on VetConnect PLUS. The results will be integrated into the patient record and can be accessed via your practice management software or through VetConnect PLUS.

The following specimen types can be submitted:

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or impression smears from solid tissue:

• Lymph nodes
• Skin/Subcutaneous masses
• Internal organs (e.g., spleen, liver, prostate, intestine, lung, kidney, bone, pancreas, mediastinum) 

Fluids:

• Body cavity effusions:
  • Abdominal fluid
  • Pericardial fluid
  • Pleural fluid
• Joint fluid 

Blood smears 

Urine sediment (dry mount)

Tracheal/bronchoalveolar wash (BAL)  

Vaginal smears

 
Note: Cytologic evaluation of tracheal/bronchoalveolar wash (BAL) may be ordered as a cytology only (without fluid analysis).

Sample types NOT suitable:

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• Bone marrow
• Any specimens with suspect bacterial/ infectious agent
• Wet mount urine sediment 
• Acetate tape impressions
• Fecal smears

In the event a digital image cannot be interpreted by an IDEXX pathologist, customers will have the option to submit their slides to IDEXX via traditional methods by sending their slides to IDEXX Reference Laboratories.