A technology developed inside Leeds Teaching Hospitals to improve the reliability of digital cancer diagnostics is moving towards wider use in the NHS and laboratories around the world.
The tool, called TANGO, was created by at the National Pathology Imaging Co-operative in Leeds. It acts as a quality-control reference during the staining of pathology slides, helping laboratories reduce variation before tissue samples are scanned and analysed digitally.
That consistency matters as pathology becomes increasingly digital and artificial-intelligence tools are introduced to help analyse cancer samples. Small differences in how slides are prepared can affect how reliably both people and software them.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals has signed an agreement with pathology company Epredia, which plans to incorporate TANGO into new laboratory slide products from late 2026. The is expected to generate investment back into Leeds health innovation as well as support specialist jobs connected with product development and validation.