Omynx, an imaging joint venture between GE Healthcare and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), will start clinical research testing phase of its Omnyx digital pathology product.

Omynx technology digitizes pathology slides and the corresponding workflow, and is intended to connect pathology departments and improve collaboration, communication and efficiency, with the potential for better patient care, the companies said.

The technology incorporates scanners that boost scan speed by using one camera to scan the slide and a second to simultaneously focus, new imaging software for images and an IT backbone that digitizes a pathology department’s workflow.

UPMC, Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, Calif., and University Health Network in Toronto are currently installing, testing and providing feedback on the Omnyx platform, and will collect data for an FDA submission.

GE and UPMC have invested $40 million to-date. The digital pathology market is expected to grow to $2 billion over the next several years, according to the companies.