Integrated diagnostics

Abstract

The current scenario of in vitro and in vivo diagnostics can be summarized using the “silo metaphor”, where laboratory medicine, pathology and radiology are three conceptually separated diagnostic disciplines, which will increasingly share many comparable features. The substantial progresses in our understanding of biochemical-biological interplays that characterize many human diseases, coupled with extraordinary technical advances, are now generating important multidisciplinary convergences, leading the way to a new frontier, called integrated diagnostics. This new discipline, which is currently defined as convergence of imaging, pathology and laboratory tests with advanced information technology, has an enormous potential for revolutionizing diagnosis and therapeutic management of human diseases, including those causing the largest number of worldwide deaths (i.e. cardiovascular disease, cancer and infectious diseases). However, some important drawbacks should be overcome, mostly represented by insufficient information technology infrastructures, costs and enormous volume of different information that will be integrated and delivered. To overcome these hurdles, some specific strategies should be defined and implemented, such as planning major integration of exiting information systems or developing innovative ones, combining bioinformatics and imaging informatics, using health technology assessment for assessing cost and benefits, providing interpretative comments in integrated reports, developing and using expert systems and neural networks, overcoming cultural and political boundaries for generating multidisciplinary teams and integrated diagnostic algorithms.

Clotting Factors in COVID-19: Epidemiological Association and Prognostic Values in Different Clinical Presentations in an Italian Cohort

“…The hemostasis alterations described in our study population have been associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events or DIC in daily clinical practice [12,13]; moreover, abnormal values of fibrinogen and D-dimer have been previously described in several inflammatory, infectious, or other malignant diseases [12][13][14]; therefore, a clinical integrated method is always needed to evaluate the potential effects of this type of hypercoagulation [14].…”

Laboratory Demand Management Strategies—An Overview

“…The synopsis of results from laboratory medicine, diagnostic imaging and pathology is necessary for the purpose of integrated diagnostics. Furthermore, the patient’s history, comorbidities, symptoms and treatments have to be taken into account for correct interpretation [ 55 ]. Currently, few published articles deal with the issue of applying AI algorithms to laboratory test selection.…”

Virtual Multidisciplinary Review of a Complex Case Using a Digital Clinical Decision Support Tool to Improve Workflow Efficiency

“…14 Inputs and insights from other clinicians provide great benefit for patients. However, there is a need to improve MDT meetings in order to keep up with the increasing complexity of healthcare information [15][16][17] and maintain efficiency with patient care management. 18 When patients are discussed at MDT meetings, their clinical decisions are protected from the vagaries of individual professional preferences.…”