Integrated Digital Solutions and Computational Workflows in Surgical Pathology

Dear Colleagues,

The practice of surgical pathology is becoming more and more digitized to leverage the enormous potential of precision medicine, enabling the administration of modern therapies. Therefore, the daily task for pathologists is changing drastically and will become increasingly demanding in order to take advantage of the development of modern computer technologies.

Digitization and intelligent data processing are already playing a pivotal part in the practice of surgical pathology today. Traditional pathology is gradually being transformed into a digital discipline whereby automated scanners can capture images for further computer‐assisted image analyses. Computer-based algorithms will extract as much information from tissue to standardize the quantification of specific histopathological features, because it is no longer sufficient to exclusively classify diseases independently and just based on morphology and genomic profile alone without additional contextual information. Rather, it is essential that the pathologist also accurately measures the quantity and dimensions of different critical components in the tissue and then links such parameters to all other patients and the available clinical meta‐data.

Despite the availability of multiplex staining techniques on a single slide, high-resolution image analysis tools, and high-end computer hardware, machine, and deep learning solutions that now offer diagnostic rulesets and algorithms, there is a need for robust and sustainable clinical validation in well-designed studies. Before entering clinical practice, the 'human factor' pathologist needs to develop trust in the output coming from the 'digital black box of computational pathology', including image analysis solutions and artificial intelligence algorithms to support critical clinical decisions. This also includes the standardization of specimen processing and integrated lab workflow to minimize any analytical inconsistencies prior to the application of advanced digital solutions.

Prof. Dr. Huss Ralf
Guest Editor

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