Rapid whole-slide imaging system using commercial cameras and autostitch

Abstract

We demonstrate a system whereby a microscope slide can be scanned and mosaicked even without a motorized stage just by using a cellphone or digital camera in video mode and image stitching software. We show that if a video of the slide is taken while the microscope scanning stage is moved by hand, an image stitching software can create an image of the whole field-of-view covered. The image mosaic can be produced rapidly and at low-cost for screening applications such as parasitemia estimation. The system is demonstrated on slides of malaria-infected blood cells.