Kebeza PathEdge
Scanner-agnostic pathology coordination for cytology and histology. Built around trained teams, existing equipment and accountable specialist review.
Founder-funded. Workflow validation and commercial economics are still to be established.
The operating principle
Support the expertise already in the system. Make it easier to reach.
PathEdge’s development direction is a structured pathway from site submission to review, quality assurance and reporting. Acquisition R&D aims to reduce the work that depends on a scarce specialist standing beside the microscope.
Asynchronous review is the route to better throughput. Live remote microscopy has a focused role: adequacy checks, extra fields, focusing, escalation and teaching.
Explore the acquisition ladderPeople make the pathway work
Training is competency-based and supervised. A short course does not confer unrestricted independent practice or sign-out.
A cytotechnologist can screen Pap or FNAC material, select representative fields and prepare preliminary findings, with pathologist support and final review.
Refresher training and supervision strengthen this role. Cytotechnologists remain central to screening capacity.
Trained acquisition operators could support pooled remote cytotechnologists and pathologists, once broad, systematic capture is validated.
A few fields selected by an untrained operator cannot stand in for whole-slide screening.
Site information and suitable images, with a locked draft where appropriate.
First pathologist interpretation and requests for additional information.
Reasoned second opinion and senior review when needed.
A qualified pathologist is responsible for the final report.
The workflow above describes the intended model under development, not a claim that every integration is live.
The acquisition ladder
Telepathology does not always mean whole-slide imaging. The specimen, clinical task and trained workforce determine which acquisition method is appropriate.
Use suitable WSI where available. Evaluate image quality, workflow fit and review requirements for the intended use.
Hardware-independent directionStandardised selected fields can support appropriately screened material. An off-the-shelf camera is an acquisition option, not a scanner by itself.
Task-specific evaluationUse guided focusing and additional fields for adequacy, difficult areas, escalation or teaching.
Selected support needsEvaluate coverage, focus and assembly reliability before relying on systematic local capture for remote screening.
Evaluation plannedMicroscope retrofit and whole-slide acquisition R&D aimed at reducing dependence on specialist presence beside the microscope.
Research & developmentBegin with acquisition quality, coverage, report preparation and documentation checks. Screening or decision support needs separate evidence and validation.
Future, separately validatedPathology-wide by design
Neither cytology nor histology can be reduced to a single universal capture method. Equipment and workflows must be evaluated for the task.
Sparse abnormal cells, background clues, overlap and focal depth affect screening. Appropriate coverage and trained screening protect against the limits of selected fields.
Full tissue context, dependable focus and colour matter. Extra levels, immunohistochemistry and other studies may still be needed for interpretation.
Diagrammatic illustrations. No diagnostic findings or patient images.
Targets to validate
These are pathway targets for suitable cases, subject to evaluation. They are not service guarantees or measured network-wide performance.
From sampling to report when same-day preparation and review are feasible.
From tissue receipt at the laboratory, for suitable routine cases.
For digital acquisition and remote sign-out once a suitable conventional slide already exists.
Extra levels, ancillary studies, immunohistochemistry, difficult consultations and inadequate samples require their own timelines.
Quality and evidence
Proposed evaluation measures include completed cases per cytotechnologist-hour and pathologist-hour, site cost, turnaround and major discrepancy rate.
Historical regional cytology experience informs the work. It is distinct from independent diagnostic-accuracy validation and from cases processed by the current PathEdge software.
Clinical accountability stays with qualified professionals. Research use of records requires a valid legal basis, ethics and institutional review, permissions, access controls and appropriate agreements.
Explore the proposed evidence programmeA defined setting. A testable workflow.
Tell our office about your specimen types, staff and equipment. We can discuss the scope of an evaluation and the responsibilities it would require.
Already using PathEdge? Go to the existing-user sign-in.
