Developing image analysis methods for digital pathology

Abstract

The potential to use quantitative image analysis and artificial intelligence is one of the driving forces behind digital pathology. However, despite novel image analysis methods for pathology being described across many publications, few become widely adopted and many are not applied in more than a single study. The explanation is often straightforward: software implementing the method is simply not available, or is too complex, incomplete, or dataset-dependent for others to use. The result is a disconnect between what seems already possible in digital pathology based upon the literature, and what actually is possible for anyone wishing to apply it using currently available software. This review begins by introducing the main approaches and techniques involved in analysing pathology images. I then examine the practical challenges inherent in taking algorithms beyond proof-of-concept, from both a user and developer perspective. I describe the need for a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to developing and validating meaningful new algorithms, and argue that openness, implementation, and usability deserve more attention among digital pathology researchers. The review ends with a discussion about how digital pathology could benefit from interacting with and learning from the wider bioimage analysis community, particularly with regard to sharing data, software, and ideas. © 2022 The Author. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

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