Industry
Histopathology unit
IstoTech for the histology archive of IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Rome: clinical risk eliminated
- Pathology laboratories
- Istotech
- Histological samples
A histology sample is not a document. It is clinical evidence that cannot be lost.
The growing volume of specimens to be managed and preserved over time led the Pathology Laboratory of IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Rome to replace manual collection, classification and storage systems with ICAM’s IstoTech automated archive, integrated with ICON software.
Product
IstoTech
Key result
117,000 blocks + 240,000 slides in 10.54 m²
Key feature
Fully enclosed structure with authenticated access
IRCCS San Raffaele Roma: research and care through a translational approach
Founded in 1971 and part of the San Donato Hospital Group since 2012, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Rome is a leader in rehabilitation and a reference point for national scientific research. Recognized by the Italian Ministry of Health as a research institute in 1972 and as an IRCCS for molecular medicine in 2001, it includes 100 high-tech laboratories, 50 medical specialties, 50,000 hospital admissions per year and over 880 ongoing clinical studies.
In this context, histology specimens, slides and paraffin blocks, are unrepeatable biological evidence: every lost or deteriorated sample means clinical information lost forever.
In this context, histology specimens, slides and paraffin blocks, are unrepeatable biological evidence: every lost or deteriorated sample means clinical information lost forever.
The logistical challenges
Manual management of the histology archive created structural issues that became increasingly difficult to contain as volumes grew:
• Visual search through drawer units and shelving: long picking times with a direct impact on laboratory workflow
• Real risk of specimen loss or misclassification, with direct consequences for the patient’s clinical pathway
• No structured protection against dust, temperature fluctuations, humidity and physical security risks
• No digital traceability: picking and refilling operations relied on manual logs, with no reliable history
• Increasingly saturated space: traditional shelving could no longer keep up with growing volumes
IstoTech: 357,000 specimens in 10.54 m², retrieved in seconds
IstoTech is configured with 3 archive columns and 1 picking and refilling station in just 10.54 m² (4,595 × 2,291 × 2,400 mm). Its 85 trays, 20 dedicated to slides and 65 to paraffin blocks, provide archive capacity for 240,000 slides and 117,000 blocks: the equivalent of 5 years of laboratory production. The fully enclosed structure protects specimens from dust, temperature fluctuations, humidity, theft and fire.
Access is available only through authentication.
ICON software, integrated with the laboratory systems, manages full traceability of every histology sample: location, movements, operator, date and time of every picking and refilling operation. Staff no longer search visually. They enter the specimen code and the system delivers the correct tray to the picking and refilling station within seconds, freeing up time for scientific activities.
Access is available only through authentication.
ICON software, integrated with the laboratory systems, manages full traceability of every histology sample: location, movements, operator, date and time of every picking and refilling operation. Staff no longer search visually. They enter the specimen code and the system delivers the correct tray to the picking and refilling station within seconds, freeing up time for scientific activities.
Key results
Protected specimens, staff free to focus on research, clinical risk eliminated
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357,000 specimens in 10.54 m²
117,000 paraffin blocks and 240,000 histology slides, equal to 5 years of laboratory production
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Retrieval within seconds
No manual searching: the specimen is delivered to the station on demand
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Clinical risk eliminated
Specimen loss and mishandling structurally removed from the process
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Full specimen protection
Enclosed structure: specimens safe from dust, humidity, temperature, theft and fire
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Full traceability
ICON logs every operation: who, when and which specimen
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More time for scientific research
Staff stop spending time on manual searches and focus on clinical and research work
In pathology, a histology specimen is clinical evidence that cannot be recreated. Preserving it securely, retrieving it within seconds and tracking every movement is not just an organizational need. It is a clinical responsibility. With IstoTech, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Rome turned that responsibility into an automated, reliable and auditable process.
Explore the product chosen by IRCCS San Raffaele Roma
IstoTech: the automatic archive for histology samples
The ICAM solution that automates the archiving of histology slides and paraffin blocks in pathology units. Full traceability, robotic picking, clinical risk eliminated.
Explore IstoTech
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