U.S. Enters New Era of Digital Diagnostics with First AzerView Scanner

PLAINVIEW, NY – February 27, 2026 – A quiet laboratory in Plainview, New York, has become the epicenter of a significant technological shift in American medicine. Acupath Laboratories, Inc., in a strategic partnership with Azer Scientific and South Korean imaging leader Vieworks, has installed the first AzerView LH510 Digital Pathology scanner in the United States. This landmark event signals a major step forward in the U.S. adoption of digital pathology, a field poised to revolutionize how diseases are diagnosed.

The installation is the culmination of a collaboration designed to bring high-performance, next-generation diagnostic tools to the American healthcare market. For decades, pathology has relied on the physical glass slide and the microscope. Now, the move to high-resolution digital images promises to enhance diagnostic accuracy, streamline laboratory workflows, and ultimately accelerate patient care.

A Leap in Diagnostic Capability

Digital pathology transforms the traditional workflow by converting glass tissue slides into high-resolution digital files. These "whole slide images" can be viewed, managed, shared, and analyzed on a computer screen, unlocking capabilities impossible with a conventional microscope. The new installation at Acupath is a testament to this transformative potential.

“The installation of the first AzerView/Vieworks scanner in the U.S. is a meaningful advancement for digital pathology,” said Brian Kunkel, Chief Operating Officer at Acupath Laboratories, Inc. in the original announcement. “This technology supports the evolving needs of pathologists by enabling high-resolution imaging and streamlined workflows that ultimately benefit patient care.”

This sentiment is echoed by the partners, who see this as more than a single equipment deployment. It represents a commitment to building a more efficient and interconnected diagnostic ecosystem. The goal is to equip pathologists with tools that not only improve their diagnostic confidence but also meet the demands of modern, high-volume laboratories. Acupath, which processes over 500,000 specimens annually, serves as an ideal proving ground for the technology's impact on a large scale.

Inside the High-Speed Imaging Engine

The AzerView LH510 scanner is not just another digital scanner; it is engineered for the intense demands of modern clinical labs. Developed by Vieworks, a company with over two decades of expertise in high-performance imaging, the LH510 is built for speed, capacity, and unparalleled image quality.

One of its most notable features is its sheer throughput. The scanner is capable of processing up to 510 slides in a single run and can digitize approximately 83 whole slide images per hour. This level of automation drastically reduces the manual labor associated with slide handling and scanning, freeing up skilled technicians for more complex tasks.

Beyond speed, the scanner's core innovation lies in its image acquisition technology. It employs a proprietary method that captures three images at different focal points in a single pass. The system’s software then composites the sharpest areas from each capture, resulting in a final digital slide with exceptional clarity and focus across the entire tissue sample. This is critical for pathologists, who need to identify subtle cellular abnormalities that could signify disease. This advanced capability ensures that the digital surrogate is as good as—or in some cases, better than—the original glass slide.

Navigating a Growing and Competitive Market

The introduction of the AzerView LH510 comes at a pivotal moment for the U.S. digital pathology market. The sector is experiencing explosive growth, with one market analysis projecting its value to climb from approximately $454 million in 2024 to over $916 million by 2033. This surge is driven by the increasing need for faster cancer diagnostics, the digitization of healthcare systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into medical analysis.

However, the field is not without established leaders. Major players like Philips, Leica Biosystems, Hamamatsu, and Roche have already secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for their whole slide imaging systems for primary diagnostic use. This clearance is a crucial regulatory milestone, permitting a system to be used as the primary tool for making a clinical diagnosis, rather than just for research or consultation.

The partnership behind the AzerView scanner is strategically navigating this landscape. While this first installation marks its entry into the U.S., the collaboration between Vieworks' imaging prowess and Azer Scientific's deep understanding of laboratory workflows aims to offer a practical, scalable solution. "Digital pathology is a critical pillar in the future of diagnostic medicine," noted Jay Hexamer, Chief Executive Officer of Azer's parent company, Biolyst Scientific. He emphasized the strategy of "helping advance pathology in a practical, scalable way" by combining advanced platforms with an intimate knowledge of how labs actually operate.

Redefining the Pathologist's Daily Workflow

For the pathologists and technicians at Acupath, the impact of the LH510 will be felt daily. The transition from microscope to monitor is set to redefine efficiency and collaboration within the lab. Traditionally, a diagnosis requiring a second opinion would involve physically packaging and shipping glass slides to another specialist, a process that introduces delays and risks damage or loss.

With digital pathology, that entire process is reduced to a secure mouse click. A pathologist at Acupath can now instantly share a high-resolution digital slide with a sub-specialist across the country, facilitating rapid consultations and improving diagnostic consensus. This is particularly valuable for Acupath, which provides services across numerous specialties, including Urology, Dermatology, and Hematology/Oncology.

Furthermore, the digital workflow paves the way for the integration of powerful AI algorithms. These tools can assist pathologists by performing quantitative analysis, highlighting potential areas of interest, and helping to prioritize cases based on urgency. This synergy between human expertise and machine intelligence promises to enhance diagnostic precision and handle the ever-increasing caseload more effectively.

As Brian Kunkel of Acupath stated, "Being part of the first Vieworks scanner installation in the U.S. underscores our dedication to supporting pathologists with tools that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and collaboration." The move positions the laboratory at the vanguard of a movement that is fundamentally changing the practice of medicine, one digital slide at a time. The partners are looking forward to expanding the adoption of these solutions, aiming to elevate diagnostic capabilities and improve patient outcomes across the nation.