There is a paucity of guidelines relating to displays in digital pathology making procurement decisions, and display configuration challenging. Experience suggests pathologists have personal preferences for brightness when using a microscope which we hypothesised could be used as a predictor for display setup. We conducted an online survey across 6 NHS hospitals to capture brightness adjustment habits on both microscopes and screens. A subsample of respondents took part in a practical task to determine microscope brightness and display luminance preferences. The survey indicates 81% of respondents adjust the brightness on their microscope, compared with 11% adjusting their digital display. Display adjustments are more likely for visual comfort and ambient light compensation rather than for tissue factors, common for microscope adjustments. Twenty consultants took part in the practical brightness assessment. Light preferences on the microscope showed no correlation with screen preferences, except where a pathologist has a markedly brighter microscope preference. All of the preferences in this cohort were for a display luminance of less than 500cd/m$^2$, with 90% preferring 350cd/m$^2$ or less. There was no correlation between these preferences and the ambient lighting in the room. We conclude that microscope preferences can only be used to predict screen luminance requirements where the microscope is being used at very high brightness levels. A display capable of a brightness of 500cd/m$^2$ should be suitable for almost all pathologists with 300cd/m$^2$ suitable for the majority. The ability to adjust display luminance was felt to be important by the majority of respondents. Further work needs to be undertaken to establish the relationship between diagnostic performance, preferences and ambient lighting levels.

翻译：目前关于数字病理显示器的采购决策和配置设置缺乏相关指南。经验表明，病理学家在使用显微镜时存在个人亮度偏好，我们假设这种偏好可作为显示器设置的预测指标。我们在6家NHS医院开展在线调查，收集显微镜和屏幕亮度调节习惯数据，并组织子样本受试者参与显微镜亮度与显示器亮度偏好的实操测试。调查显示81%的受访者会调节显微镜亮度，仅11%会调节数字显示器。显示器亮度调节更常见于视觉舒适度和环境光补偿，而非组织因素（显微镜调节的常见原因）。20名顾问医师参与了实操亮度评估。显微镜光偏好与屏幕偏好无相关性，除非病理学家显微镜亮度偏好显著偏高。所有受试者的显示器亮度偏好均低于500cd/m²，其中90%偏好350cd/m²及以下。这些偏好与房间环境照明无相关性。我们得出结论：仅当显微镜以极高亮度使用时，其偏好才能预测屏幕亮度需求。亮度为500cd/m²的显示器适用于几乎所有病理学家，300cd/m²则适用于大多数群体。多数受访者认为显示器亮度调节功能很重要。后续需进一步研究诊断效能、偏好与环境光照水平之间的关系。