diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7dd0757e..2f9637e5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
-## [1.0.11] - 2024-xx-xx
+## [1.x.x] - xxxx-xx-xx
+
+## [1.0.11] - 2024-04-26
 
 ### Added
 - Can overlay a custom segmentation (merge boundaries)
 - Xenium Explorer selection(s) can be added as shapes in a SpatialData object
+- Optionnal OpenSlide backend for WSI data
+- New `sopa.io.aicsimageio` reader for special formats (#58)
 
 ### Changed
 - Rename `Aggregator.update_table` to `Aggregator.compute_table`
diff --git a/docs/api/_sdata.md b/docs/api/_sdata.md
index 8683d4ee..5b311c56 100644
--- a/docs/api/_sdata.md
+++ b/docs/api/_sdata.md
@@ -2,25 +2,13 @@
     These are convenient tools that operates on `SpatialData` objects
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.get_boundaries
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.get_intrinsic_cs
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.to_intrinsic
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.get_intensities
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.iter_scales
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa._sdata.get_spatial_image
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/annotation.md b/docs/api/annotation.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..856f235f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/api/annotation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+::: sopa.annotation.tangram_annotate
+
+::: sopa.annotation.higher_z_score
+
+::: sopa.annotation.preprocess_fluo
diff --git a/docs/api/annotation/fluorescence.md b/docs/api/annotation/fluorescence.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 882af767..00000000
--- a/docs/api/annotation/fluorescence.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-::: sopa.annotation.higher_z_score
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.annotation.preprocess_fluo
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/annotation/tangram.md b/docs/api/annotation/tangram.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 2a3cfb23..00000000
--- a/docs/api/annotation/tangram.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-::: sopa.annotation.tangram.tangram_annotate
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/embedding.md b/docs/api/embedding.md
index ab496d60..023255ad 100644
--- a/docs/api/embedding.md
+++ b/docs/api/embedding.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.embedding.embed_wsi_patches
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/io.explorer.md b/docs/api/io.explorer.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 26364a3a..00000000
--- a/docs/api/io.explorer.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_image
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_cell_categories
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_transcripts
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_gene_counts
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_polygons
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.write_metadata
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.int_cell_id
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.str_cell_id
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.align
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.save_column_csv
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.explorer.add_explorer_selection
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/io.md b/docs/api/io.md
index 8beb0005..45bbab0b 100644
--- a/docs/api/io.md
+++ b/docs/api/io.md
@@ -1,45 +1,51 @@
+# sopa.io
+
 !!! notes
     Due to many updates in the data format provided by the different companies, you might have issues loading your data. In this case, consider [opening an issue](https://github.com/gustaveroussy/sopa/issues) detailing the version of the machine you used and the error log, as well as an example of file names that you are trying to read.
 
 !!! notes "Related to `spatialdata-io`"
     A library called [`spatialdata-io`](https://spatialdata.scverse.org/projects/io/en/latest/) already contains a lot of readers. Here, we updated some readers already existing in `spatialdata-io`, and added a few others. In the future, we will completely rely on `spatialdata-io`.
 
+## Readers
+
 ::: sopa.io.xenium
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.merscope
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.cosmx
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.macsima
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.phenocycler
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.hyperion
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
+
+::: sopa.io.aicsimageio
 
 ::: sopa.io.ome_tif
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.wsi
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.uniform
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.io.blobs
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
+
+## Xenium Explorer
+
+::: sopa.io.write
+
+::: sopa.io.align
+
+::: sopa.io.add_explorer_selection
+
+::: sopa.io.int_cell_id
+
+::: sopa.io.str_cell_id
+
+::: sopa.io.write_image
+
+::: sopa.io.save_column_csv
+
+## Report
+
+::: sopa.io.write_report
diff --git a/docs/api/io.report.md b/docs/api/io.report.md
deleted file mode 100644
index fdf61a1f..00000000
--- a/docs/api/io.report.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-::: sopa.io.report.write_report
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Renderable
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Title
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Paragraph
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Message
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Block
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.CodeBlock
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.ProgressBar
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Section
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.SubSection
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.NavbarItem
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Navbar
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Columns
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Image
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
-
-::: sopa.io.report.engine.Root
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/aggregate.md b/docs/api/segmentation/aggregate.md
index 79d51e17..75223a61 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/aggregate.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/aggregate.md
@@ -1,23 +1,11 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate.overlay_segmentation
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate.average_channels
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate._average_channels_aligned
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate.count_transcripts
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate._count_transcripts_aligned
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.aggregate.Aggregator
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/baysor.md b/docs/api/segmentation/baysor.md
index 9704226e..f3b20822 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/baysor.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/baysor.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.baysor.resolve.resolve
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/methods.md b/docs/api/segmentation/methods.md
index 7392dc8b..4ac52707 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/methods.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/methods.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.methods.cellpose_patch
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/patching.md b/docs/api/segmentation/patching.md
index 048cc26b..80db969d 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/patching.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/patching.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.patching.Patches2D
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/shapes.md b/docs/api/segmentation/shapes.md
index eb6b217c..59443d0f 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/shapes.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/shapes.md
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.shapes.solve_conflicts
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.shapes.geometrize
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.segmentation.shapes.rasterize
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/stainings.md b/docs/api/segmentation/stainings.md
index 8e59f172..31ccfd93 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/stainings.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/stainings.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.stainings.StainingSegmentation
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/segmentation/tissue.md b/docs/api/segmentation/tissue.md
index 80cbedd4..d6f2eb63 100644
--- a/docs/api/segmentation/tissue.md
+++ b/docs/api/segmentation/tissue.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.segmentation.tissue.hsv_otsu
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/spatial.md b/docs/api/spatial.md
index b7823249..787b3e04 100644
--- a/docs/api/spatial.md
+++ b/docs/api/spatial.md
@@ -1,27 +1,13 @@
 ::: sopa.spatial.sjoin
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.mean_distance
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.geometrize_niches
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.niches_geometry_stats
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.cells_to_groups
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.spatial_neighbors
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.spatial.prepare_network
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/utils/image.md b/docs/api/utils/image.md
index 3c82fed1..99dc9ff8 100644
--- a/docs/api/utils/image.md
+++ b/docs/api/utils/image.md
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 ::: sopa.utils.image.scale_dtype
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.utils.image.resize
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
 
 ::: sopa.utils.image.resize_numpy
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/api/utils/polygon_crop.md b/docs/api/utils/polygon_crop.md
index 8033eb97..a1ea0631 100644
--- a/docs/api/utils/polygon_crop.md
+++ b/docs/api/utils/polygon_crop.md
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
 ::: sopa.utils.polygon_crop.polygon_selection
-    options:
-      show_root_heading: true
diff --git a/docs/tutorials/align.md b/docs/tutorials/align.md
index fbad2bbc..7b9fe706 100644
--- a/docs/tutorials/align.md
+++ b/docs/tutorials/align.md
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ Convert your image with QuPath as written in this [10x genomics webpage](https:/
 
 If you are not familiar with QuPath, you can also use our API to write the image:
 ```python
-from sopa import io
-from sopa.io.explorer import write_image
+import sopa.io
 
-image = io.ome_tif("path/to/your/image.tif") # or use a different reader
-write_image("where/to/save/image.ome.tif", image, is_dir=False)
+image = sopa.io.ome_tif("path/to/your/image.tif") # or use a different reader
+sopa.io.write_image("where/to/save/image.ome.tif", image, is_dir=False)
 ```
 
 !!! note "Xenium users"
diff --git a/mkdocs.yml b/mkdocs.yml
index cac50b3f..6718bf24 100644
--- a/mkdocs.yml
+++ b/mkdocs.yml
@@ -31,11 +31,7 @@ nav:
       - sopa.segmentation.tissue: api/segmentation/tissue.md
       - sopa.segmentation.baysor: api/segmentation/baysor.md
     - sopa.io: api/io.md
-    - sopa.io.explorer: api/io.explorer.md
-    - sopa.io.report: api/io.report.md
-    - sopa.annotation:
-      - sopa.annotation.tangram: api/annotation/tangram.md
-      - sopa.annotation.fluorescence: api/annotation/fluorescence.md
+    - sopa.annotation: api/annotation.md
     - sopa.utils:
       - sopa.utils.image: api/utils/image.md
       - sopa.utils.polygon_crop: api/utils/polygon_crop.md
@@ -45,7 +41,12 @@ nav:
   - Cite us: cite_us.md
 plugins:
   - search
-  - mkdocstrings
+  - mkdocstrings:
+      handlers:
+        python:
+          options:
+            show_root_heading: true
+            heading_level: 3
   - mkdocs-jupyter:
       include_source: True
 markdown_extensions:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 657797fd..dbe2a0ea 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "sopa"
-version = "1.0.10"
+version = "1.0.11"
 description = "Spatial-omics pipeline and analysis"
 documentation = "https://gustaveroussy.github.io/sopa"
 homepage = "https://gustaveroussy.github.io/sopa"
diff --git a/sopa/annotation/__init__.py b/sopa/annotation/__init__.py
index b9a503ef..26b88e85 100644
--- a/sopa/annotation/__init__.py
+++ b/sopa/annotation/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 from .fluorescence import preprocess_fluo, higher_z_score
+from .tangram import tangram_annotate
diff --git a/sopa/annotation/tangram/run.py b/sopa/annotation/tangram/run.py
index b0e95185..f63d9447 100644
--- a/sopa/annotation/tangram/run.py
+++ b/sopa/annotation/tangram/run.py
@@ -10,13 +10,6 @@
 from anndata import AnnData
 from spatialdata import SpatialData
 
-try:
-    import tangram as tg
-except ImportError:
-    raise ImportError(
-        "To use tangram, you need its corresponding sopa extra: `pip install 'sopa[tangram]'` (normal mode) or `pip install -e '.[tangram]'` (if using snakemake)"
-    )
-
 from sopa._constants import SopaKeys
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -216,6 +209,13 @@ def run(self):
         ]
 
     def run_group(self, level: int = 0, indices_sp=None, indices_sc=None):
+        try:
+            import tangram as tg
+        except ImportError:
+            raise ImportError(
+                "To use tangram, you need its corresponding sopa extra: `pip install 'sopa[tangram]'` (normal mode) or `pip install -e '.[tangram]'` (if using snakemake)"
+            )
+
         if indices_sp is not None and len(indices_sp) == 0:
             log.warn("No cell annotated in the upper level...")
             return
diff --git a/sopa/embedding/patches.py b/sopa/embedding/patches.py
index bb6b8bb4..f843ed61 100644
--- a/sopa/embedding/patches.py
+++ b/sopa/embedding/patches.py
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ def _get_best_level_for_downsample(
 
 
 def _get_extraction_parameters(
-    tiff_metadata: dict,
+    slide_metadata: dict,
     patch_width: int,
     level: int | None,
     magnification: int | None,
+    backend: str,
 ) -> tuple[int, int, int, bool]:
     """
     Given the metadata for the slide, a target magnification and a patch width,
@@ -55,20 +56,20 @@ def _get_extraction_parameters(
     if magnification is None:
         return level, 1, patch_width * 2**level, True  # TODO: what if scaling != 2?
 
-    if tiff_metadata["properties"].get("tiffslide.objective-power"):
-        objective_power = int(tiff_metadata["properties"].get("tiffslide.objective-power"))
+    if slide_metadata["properties"].get(f"{backend}.objective-power"):
+        objective_power = int(slide_metadata["properties"].get(f"{backend}.objective-power"))
         downsample = objective_power / magnification
 
-    elif tiff_metadata["properties"].get("tiffslide.mpp-x"):
-        mppx = float(tiff_metadata["properties"].get("tiffslide.mpp-x"))
+    elif slide_metadata["properties"].get(f"{backend}.mpp-x"):
+        mppx = float(slide_metadata["properties"].get(f"{backend}.mpp-x"))
 
         mpp_objective = min([80, 40, 20, 10, 5], key=lambda obj: abs(10 / obj - mppx))
         downsample = mpp_objective / magnification
     else:
         return None, None, None, False
 
-    level = _get_best_level_for_downsample(tiff_metadata["level_downsamples"], downsample)
-    resize_factor = tiff_metadata["level_downsamples"][level] / downsample
+    level = _get_best_level_for_downsample(slide_metadata["level_downsamples"], downsample)
+    resize_factor = slide_metadata["level_downsamples"][level] / downsample
     patch_width = int(patch_width * downsample)
 
     return level, resize_factor, patch_width, True
@@ -90,9 +91,9 @@ def __init__(
 
         self.cs = get_intrinsic_cs(None, image)
 
-        tiff_metadata = image.attrs.get("metadata", {})
+        slide_metadata = image.attrs.get("metadata", {})
         self.level, self.resize_factor, self.patch_width, success = _get_extraction_parameters(
-            tiff_metadata, patch_width, level, magnification
+            slide_metadata, patch_width, level, magnification, backend=image.attrs["backend"]
         )
         if not success:
             log.error("Error retrieving the image mpp, skipping tile embedding.")
diff --git a/sopa/io/__init__.py b/sopa/io/__init__.py
index 91a82879..06bd492f 100644
--- a/sopa/io/__init__.py
+++ b/sopa/io/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
-from .explorer import write, align, add_explorer_selection
+from .explorer import (
+    write,
+    align,
+    add_explorer_selection,
+    write_image,
+    write_transcripts,
+    write_cell_categories,
+    write_gene_counts,
+    write_polygons,
+    write_metadata,
+    str_cell_id,
+    int_cell_id,
+    save_column_csv,
+)
 from .standardize import write_standardized
 from .reader.cosmx import cosmx
 from .reader.merscope import merscope
@@ -8,6 +21,7 @@
 from .reader.hyperion import hyperion
 from .reader.utils import ome_tif
 from .reader.wsi import wsi, wsi_autoscale
+from .reader.aics import aicsimageio
 from .report import write_report
 
 from ..utils.data import blobs, uniform
diff --git a/sopa/io/reader/aics.py b/sopa/io/reader/aics.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..11288b29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sopa/io/reader/aics.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import logging
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import xarray as xr
+from spatialdata import SpatialData
+from spatialdata.models import Image2DModel
+
+from .utils import _default_image_kwargs
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def aicsimageio(
+    path: Path,
+    z_stack: int = 0,
+    image_models_kwargs: dict | None = None,
+    aics_kwargs: dict | None = None,
+) -> SpatialData:
+    """Read an image using [AICSImageIO](https://github.com/AllenCellModeling/aicsimageio). It supports special formats such as `ND2`, `CZI`, `LIF`, or `DV`.
+
+    !!! note "Extra dependencies"
+        To use this reader, you'll need the `aicsimageio` dependency (`pip install aicsimageio`). To read `.czi` images, you'll also need to install `aicspylibczi` (for instance `pip install aicspylibczi`).
+
+    Args:
+        path: Path to the image file
+        z_stack: (Only for 3D images) Index of the stack in the z-axis to use.
+        image_models_kwargs: Keyword arguments passed to `spatialdata.models.Image2DModel`.
+        aics_kwargs: Keyword arguments passed to `aicsimageio.AICSImage`.
+
+    Returns:
+        A `SpatialData` object with a 2D-image of shape `(C, Y, X)`
+    """
+    image_models_kwargs, _ = _default_image_kwargs(image_models_kwargs, None)
+    aics_kwargs = {} if aics_kwargs is None else aics_kwargs
+
+    try:
+        from aicsimageio import AICSImage
+    except ImportError:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "You need to install aicsimageio, e.g. by running `pip install aicsimageio`"
+        )
+
+    xarr: xr.DataArray = AICSImage(path, **aics_kwargs).xarray_dask_data
+
+    assert (
+        len(xarr.coords["T"]) == 1
+    ), f"Only one time dimension is supported, found {len(xarr.coords['T'])}."
+
+    if len(xarr.coords["Z"]) > 1:
+        log.info(f"3D image found, only reading {z_stack:=}")
+
+    xarr = xarr.isel(T=0, Z=z_stack).rename({"C": "c", "Y": "y", "X": "x"})
+
+    image = Image2DModel.parse(xarr, c_coords=xarr.coords["c"].values, **image_models_kwargs)
+
+    return SpatialData(images={"image": image})
diff --git a/sopa/io/reader/wsi.py b/sopa/io/reader/wsi.py
index f924a856..87baec1b 100644
--- a/sopa/io/reader/wsi.py
+++ b/sopa/io/reader/wsi.py
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@
 
 
 def wsi(
-    path: str | Path, chunks: tuple[int, int, int] = (3, 256, 256), as_image: bool = False
+    path: str | Path,
+    chunks: tuple[int, int, int] = (3, 256, 256),
+    as_image: bool = False,
+    backend: str = "tiffslide",
 ) -> SpatialData:
     """Read a WSI into a `SpatialData` object
 
@@ -20,11 +23,12 @@ def wsi(
         path: Path to the WSI
         chunks: Tuple representing the chunksize for the dimensions `(C, Y, X)`.
         as_image: If `True`, returns a, image instead of a `SpatialData` object
+        backend: The library to use as a backend in order to load the WSI. One of: `"openslide"`, `"tiffslide"`.
 
     Returns:
         A `SpatialData` object with a multiscale 2D-image of shape `(C, Y, X)`
     """
-    image_name, img, tiff, tiff_metadata = _open_wsi(path)
+    image_name, img, slide, slide_metadata = _open_wsi(path, backend=backend)
 
     images = {}
     for level, key in enumerate(list(img.keys())):
@@ -35,10 +39,10 @@ def wsi(
             dims=("c", "y", "x"),
         ).chunk(chunks)
 
-        scale_factor = tiff.level_downsamples[level]
+        scale_factor = slide.level_downsamples[level]
 
         scale_image = Image2DModel.parse(
-            scale_image,
+            scale_image[:3, :, :],
             transformations={"pixels": _get_scale_transformation(scale_factor)},
             c_coords=("r", "g", "b"),
         )
@@ -48,15 +52,14 @@ def wsi(
         images[f"scale{key}"] = scale_image
 
     multiscale_image = MultiscaleSpatialImage.from_dict(images)
-    multiscale_image.attrs["metadata"] = tiff_metadata
+    sdata = SpatialData(images={image_name: multiscale_image})
+    sdata[image_name].attrs["metadata"] = slide_metadata
+    sdata[image_name].attrs["backend"] = backend
+    sdata[image_name].name = image_name
 
     if as_image:
-        multiscale_image.name = image_name
         return multiscale_image
 
-    sdata = SpatialData(images={image_name: multiscale_image})
-    sdata[image_name].attrs["metadata"] = tiff_metadata
-
     return sdata
 
 
@@ -108,23 +111,38 @@ def _default_image_models_kwargs(image_models_kwargs: dict | None) -> dict:
     return image_models_kwargs
 
 
-def _open_wsi(path: str | Path) -> tuple[str, xarray.Dataset, Any, dict]:
-    import tiffslide
-
+def _open_wsi(
+    path: str | Path, backend: str = "openslide"
+) -> tuple[str, xarray.Dataset, Any, dict]:
     image_name = Path(path).stem
 
-    tiff = tiffslide.open_slide(path)
-    img = xarray.open_zarr(
-        tiff.zarr_group.store,
-        consolidated=False,
-        mask_and_scale=False,
-    )
+    if backend == "tiffslide":
+        import tiffslide
+
+        slide = tiffslide.open_slide(path)
+        zarr_store = slide.zarr_group.store
+        zarr_img = xarray.open_zarr(
+            zarr_store,
+            consolidated=False,
+            mask_and_scale=False,
+        )
+    elif backend == "openslide":
+        import openslide
+
+        from ...utils.io import OpenSlideStore
+
+        slide = openslide.open_slide(path)
+        zarr_store = OpenSlideStore(path).store
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("Invalid backend. Supported options are 'openslide' and 'tiffslide'.")
+
+    zarr_img = xarray.open_zarr(zarr_store, consolidated=False, mask_and_scale=False)
 
-    tiff_metadata = {
-        "properties": tiff.properties,
-        "dimensions": tiff.dimensions,
-        "level_count": tiff.level_count,
-        "level_dimensions": tiff.level_dimensions,
-        "level_downsamples": tiff.level_downsamples,
+    metadata = {
+        "properties": slide.properties,
+        "dimensions": slide.dimensions,
+        "level_count": slide.level_count,
+        "level_dimensions": slide.level_dimensions,
+        "level_downsamples": slide.level_downsamples,
     }
-    return image_name, img, tiff, tiff_metadata
+    return image_name, zarr_img, slide, metadata
diff --git a/sopa/segmentation/tissue.py b/sopa/segmentation/tissue.py
index 35a5cb00..3e7111d5 100644
--- a/sopa/segmentation/tissue.py
+++ b/sopa/segmentation/tissue.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import logging
 
 import geopandas as gpd
diff --git a/sopa/utils/io.py b/sopa/utils/io.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ed2d0f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sopa/utils/io.py
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+# Adapted from https://github.com/manzt/napari-lazy-openslide/tree/main
+from ctypes import ArgumentError
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Dict, Mapping, MutableMapping
+
+import numpy as np
+from openslide import OpenSlide
+from zarr.storage import (
+    KVStore,
+    Store,
+    _path_to_prefix,
+    attrs_key,
+    init_array,
+    init_group,
+)
+from zarr.util import json_dumps, normalize_shape, normalize_storage_path
+
+
+def init_attrs(store: MutableMapping, attrs: Mapping[str, Any], path: str = None):
+    path = normalize_storage_path(path)
+    path = _path_to_prefix(path)
+    store[path + attrs_key] = json_dumps(attrs)
+
+
+def create_meta_store(slide: OpenSlide, tilesize: int) -> Dict[str, bytes]:
+    """Creates a dict containing the zarr metadata for the multiscale openslide image."""
+    store = dict()
+    root_attrs = {
+        "multiscales": [
+            {
+                "name": Path(slide._filename).name,
+                "datasets": [{"path": str(i)} for i in range(slide.level_count)],
+                "version": "0.1",
+            }
+        ],
+        "metadata": dict(slide.properties),
+    }
+    init_group(store)
+    init_attrs(store, root_attrs)
+
+    for i, (x, y) in enumerate(slide.level_dimensions):
+        init_array(
+            store,
+            path=str(i),
+            shape=normalize_shape((y, x, 4)),
+            chunks=(tilesize, tilesize, 4),
+            fill_value=0,
+            dtype="|u1",
+            compressor=None,
+        )
+        suffix = str(i) if i != 0 else ""
+        init_attrs(store, {"_ARRAY_DIMENSIONS": [f"Y{suffix}", f"X{suffix}", "S"]}, path=str(i))
+    return store
+
+
+def _parse_chunk_path(path: str):
+    """Returns x,y chunk coords and pyramid level from string key"""
+    level, ckey = path.split("/")
+    y, x, _ = map(int, ckey.split("."))
+    return x, y, int(level)
+
+
+class OpenSlideStore(Store):
+    """Wraps an OpenSlide object as a multiscale Zarr Store.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    path: str
+        The file to open with OpenSlide.
+    tilesize: int
+        Desired "chunk" size for zarr store (default: 512).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, path: str, tilesize: int = 512):
+        self._path = path
+        self._slide = OpenSlide(path)
+        self._tilesize = tilesize
+        self._store = create_meta_store(self._slide, tilesize)
+        self._writeable = False
+        self._erasable = False
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key: str):
+        if key in self._store:
+            # key is for metadata
+            return self._store[key]
+
+        # key should now be a path to an array chunk
+        # e.g '3/4.5.0' -> '<level>/<chunk_key>'
+        try:
+            x, y, level = _parse_chunk_path(key)
+            location = self._ref_pos(x, y, level)
+            size = (self._tilesize, self._tilesize)
+            tile = self._slide.read_region(location, level, size)
+        except ArgumentError as err:
+            # Can occur if trying to read a closed slide
+            raise err
+        except Exception:
+            # TODO: probably need better error handling.
+            # If anything goes wrong, we just signal the chunk
+            # is missing from the store.
+            raise KeyError(key)
+        return np.array(tile)  # .tobytes()
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return isinstance(other, OpenSlideStore) and self._slide._filename == other._slide._filename
+
+    def __setitem__(self, key, val):
+        raise PermissionError("ZarrStore is read-only")
+
+    def __delitem__(self, key):
+        raise PermissionError("ZarrStore is read-only")
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return iter(self.keys())
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return sum(1 for _ in self)
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
+        self.close()
+
+    def _ref_pos(self, x: int, y: int, level: int):
+        dsample = self._slide.level_downsamples[level]
+        xref = int(x * dsample * self._tilesize)
+        yref = int(y * dsample * self._tilesize)
+        return xref, yref
+
+    def keys(self):
+        return self._store.keys()
+
+    def close(self):
+        self._slide.close()
+
+    # Retrieved from napari-lazy-openslide PR#16
+    def __getstate__(self):
+        return {"_path": self._path, "_tilesize": self._tilesize}
+
+    def __setstate__(self, newstate):
+        path = newstate["_path"]
+        tilesize = newstate["_tilesize"]
+        self.__init__(path, tilesize)
+
+    def rename(self):
+        raise PermissionError(f'{type(self)} is not erasable, cannot call "rename"')
+
+    def rmdir(self, path: str = "") -> None:
+        raise PermissionError(f'{type(self)} is not erasable, cannot call "rmdir"')
+
+    @property
+    def store(self) -> KVStore:
+        return KVStore(self)