Getting Started

ENROLLMENT:

Participation is free for any Canadian clinical immunohistochemistry laboratory. Please contact emt323@mail.usask.ca if you would like to participate.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

cIQc ships to participants unstained slides of tissue microarrays (TMAs) to be tested for various antigens. We focus on clinically most important class II tests for breast cancer markers and also class I tests like those used for work up of undifferentiated tumors. TMAs are constructed with the purpose of including large enough number of samples so that we can provide you with calculations of your laboratory concordance, kappa-value, and in some instances sensitivity and specificity of the tests. 

RESULTS:

1. DIGITAL SLIDES

2. GARRATTOGRAMS

3. PROTOCOLS

4. PUBLICATIONS

DIGITAL SLIDES:

The slides of all participants can be viewed/evaluated by digital microscopy. RUN1-3 can be viewed by using MultiViewer (A). RUN4 and any other upcoming run can be viewed only by ImageScope (B). Both enable you to compare several slides side by side at any magnification. MultiViewer is limited to 4 slides at the time, but it will work equally well on both PC and Mac. ImageScope enables you to compare more slides at the time, but we recommend not more than 4. Also, it does not work on Mac. Instead, single Zoomifyer window will open on Mac computers.

(A) Mutiviewer Instructions:

Please be sure to allow pop-up windows for www.ciqc.ca. The pop-up window will open 4 viewers. Maximize the pop-up window to optimize display. You could select any results from any laboratory you wish to compare your results to.

Comments:

1. Some scanned slides have areas that will be slightly off focus on highest power. This is the limitation of the scanner, which was used to develop this type of results viewing. In the future, we will try to use better scanner to produce the best possible images.

2. MultiViewer display of the results is only one form used for the presentation of the results. Look for composite images of RUN1 on this web site. These show most informative tissue cores side-by-side to further facilitate comparison of the results. For RUN2, the results are also summarized as "Garrattograms", which provide overview of all results in a graphic format.

3. If you would like to link the results with the matching protocol, click on the Protocols RUN1 or Protocols RUN2, which will display all protocols as they are submitted by the participants.

(B) ImageScope:

ImageScope is designed for Windows. You need to download this freeware first if you do not use it already. This freeware can be downloaded on: Download Aperio's ImageScope Viewer

Compare Slides option enables you to open many slides at the time. We recommend to open 2 or 4 slides at one time. Opening more than 4 is usually crowded and less informative. You can simultaneously view any slides you want from the list populated by thumbnails. Check the box(s) on the left of the slide and click View Image (top left). The boxes remained check even if you switch the pages with listed slides.

Snapshot function is very useful as you can make images of good quality of your results or any other lab results for your records and discussion.

GARRATTOGRAMS:

Tabular summary of the results. This format enables quick assessment of the overall success of the participants and overall nation-wide concordance. It also illustrates the level of technical quality of the TMA specimens. The display is annonymized. Only you know your own laboratory code. Keep it safe. 

PROTOCOLS:

Protocols are also tabulated. It is easy to match any result with corresponding protocol used to produce such result. The tables with protocols can be viewed, saved or printed only by the participants.

PUBLICATIONS:

cIQc may occasionally prepare manuscripts and submit them for publication. Any laboratory that significantly contributes to such manuscripts will be invited to participate in manuscript preparation.