title: Emerging Themes in Image Informatics and Molecular Analysis for Digital Pathology.
abstract: Pathology is essential for research in disease and development, as well as for clinical decision making. For more than 100 years, pathology practice has involved analyzing images of stained, thin tissue sections by a trained human using an optical microscope. Technological advances are now driving major changes in this paradigm toward digital pathology (DP). The digital transformation of pathology goes beyond recording, archiving, and retrieving images, providing new computational tools to inform better decision making for precision medicine. First, we discuss some emerging innovations in both computational image analytics and imaging instrumentation in DP. Second, we discuss molecular contrast in pathology. Molecular DP has traditionally been an extension of pathology with molecularly specific dyes. Label-free, spectroscopic images are rapidly emerging as another important information source, and we describe the benefits and potential of this evolution. Third, we describe multimodal DP, which is enabled by computational algorithms and combines the best characteristics of structural and molecular pathology. Finally, we provide examples of application areas in telepathology, education, and precision medicine. We conclude by discussing challenges and emerging opportunities in this area.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Science and Engineering, and Chemistry, and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801; email: rxb@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.affiliation: Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics; Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Urology, Pathology, Radiology, Radiation Oncology, General Medical Sciences, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science; and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106; email: axm788@case.edu.
authors.forename: Anant
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madabhushi
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000639:trends*; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000639:trends*; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000639:trends*; D057089:Pathology, Molecular / Q000639:trends*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D019113:Telepathology / Q000639:trends*
keywords: FT-IR spectroscopy; algorithms; chemical imaging; computational; diagnosis; digital pathology; infrared spectroscopic imaging; microenvironment; outcome; precision medicine; prognosis; stainless staining