Imaging Services

Imaging services are offered through the Pitt Biospecimen Core (PBC). The digital imaging core facility offers clinical and research services. The imaging core has imaging equipment for generating, annotating, interpreting, storing, and analyzing digital images. This facility provides pathologist oversight, technical support staff, and space for imaging studies, validation, training, and conferencing. Images can be securely hosted and made available to investigators for remote viewing or saved locally for investigators on a DVD, USB flash drive, or external hard drive.

Equipment: Imaging devices include Nikon digital cameras for macroscopic pathology and Spot insight cameras for microscopic imaging.

• The Leica AT2 is reserved for research projects that are capable of 20x and 40x magnification. For clinical applications, please inquire so that your request can be directed as needed.
• For clinical imaging, a variety of whole slide scanners (Omnyx, Aperio, and Hamamatsu Nanozoomer) are available. The Nanozoomer has z-stack (multiple plane) capability. 
• For virtual microscopy, 20x, 40x and 60x magnification are available. 

Image analysis: The imaging facility offers image algorithm development and image analysis. The Visiopharm platform is primarily used for this work, which allows cellular structures and biomarkers in tissue samples to be detected and quantified, automated alignment of serial tissue sections, and tissue microarray (TMA) image analysis. Quantitative image analysis of immunohistochemistry can also be performed on images using Aperio's nuclear, positive pixel count, or membrane algorithms.

Fee Schedule 

*Storage drive to be supplied by client; First 5 GB of on-site storage is at no charge

Please Contact Us or email greenag@upmc.edu if you are interested in learning more about these services or using them.