Send us a text

Why are so many pathologists still afraid of going digital?

In this USCAP special episode sponsored by Muse Microscopy, I talk with Dr. Sarah Dry, Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UCLA, about real-world adoption, AI fear, and how change is best managed when it's people-led.

From her early digital research lab in 2007 to pioneering innovative workflows at UCLA today, Dr. Dry knows how direct-to-digital imaging and AI can enhance, not replace, our work.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• [00:01:00] Fear of change and pathologist pushback
• [00:03:00] Direct-to-digital imaging & frozen sectios
• [00:05:00] Redefining histotech roles amid tech shortages
• [00:08:00] CAP standards, tissue storage & digital-first futures
• [00:12:00] Specialty-specific barriers to adoption
• [00:15:00] Why AI is a pathologist extender, not a threat
• [00:18:00] What AI can automate—cell counts, GI screenings & reports
• [00:20:00] Managing change and getting early adopters onboard
  
  

🎧 Tune in to hear how digital pathology becomes scalable, without losing the people at its core.

#DigitalPathology #AIinPathology #ChangeManagement #PathologistLeadership #WomenInSTEM

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

Why is digital pathology progressing faster in some parts of the world than others?

In this international episode sponsored by Muse Microscopy, I sit down with Junya Fukuoka and Norman Zerbe—presidents of the Asian and European Societies of Digital Pathology—to unpack how cultural, regulatory, and infrastructural forces are shaping progress differently across continents.

From direct-to-digital tissue imaging considered an alternative to frozen sections in Asia, to legal hurdles in Europe, we discuss what’s advancing adoption—and what’s still holding it back.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

• [00:01:00] Direct-to-digital tissue imaging and frozen sections
• [00:03:00] Glass-free pathology and multimodal imaging potential
• [00:04:00] Legal and regulatory challenges in Europe
• [00:05:00] Innovation through low-resource workarounds in Asia
• [00:07:00] Building cross-continental collaboration between societies
• [00:08:00] The rise of digital pathology superstars across Asia
• [00:09:00] Upcoming European and Asian conferences and initiatives
  
  
  

🎧 Tune in to hear how Asia and Europe are reimagining pathology—one regulation, one society, and one scanner at a time.

Event Details:

21st European Congress on Digital Pathology

2nd Annual Congress of the Asian Society of Digital Pathology 2025

#DigitalPathology #GlobalDiagnostics #AsianSocietyPathology #EuropeanPathology #DirectToDigital

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

At the last Pathology Visions 2024, I sat down with Imogen Fitt of Signify Research and Nick Best from Pathology News for a candid, energetic recap of what’s really shaping the future of digital pathology.

We discuss how two pathologists drove digital pathology adoption in their lab, the reality behind radiology partnerships, the cautionary tale of AI burnout, and how the Technology Buyer’s Guide helps pathologists navigate endless scanner options. From standardization and DICOM to staffing crises, remote workflows, and even Meta glasses—we covered it all.

🧠 Key Moments:

• [00:01:00] Radiology’s growing influence on pathology strategy
• [00:03:00] AI burnout, buzz fatigue & managing adoption expectations
• [00:06:00] Flexibility & staffing: How 2 pathologists drove digital adoption
• [00:08:00] Virtual staining & next-gen imaging excitement
• [00:10:00] Technology Buyer’s Guide: Compare solutions by criteria
• [00:12:00] The “train station” metaphor of the digital pathology journey
• [00:15:00] Wearable AI assistants, Meta glasses & augmented diagnostics
• [00:18:00] Why DICOM will win the standardization race
• [00:21:00] Looking ahead to Pathology Visions 2025 in San Diego
  
  

🎧 Tune in to hear how strategy, storytelling, and community are moving the field forward—one scanner, slide, and conversation at a time.

Episode Resources:

• Pathology News Website
• Technology Buyers Guide
• Signify Research Website
  
  

#DigitalPathology #PathologyVisions #AIinHealthcare #DICOM #VendorSelection

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

“It used to take 40 minutes, now it takes 15” - this is what Dr. Alae Kawam said about her AI-powered prostate biopsy evaluation workflow.

In this energizing episode of the Digital Pathology Podcast recorded at PathVisions 2024, Dr. Alae Kawam joins me to reflect on where pathology is headed—from AI-assisted prostate diagnostics to direct-to-digital imaging and beyond. Together, we unpack what’s working, what still feels clunky, and why standardization, staffing flexibility, and smarter AI are critical to the next phase of pathology adoption.

🧠 Key Highlights:

• [00:01:00] Foundation models finally reach real-world pathology
  
  
  
• [00:02:00] Direct-to-digital imaging vs. glass hesitation
  
  
  
• [00:03:00] AI in prostate diagnosis: Gleason grading + time saved
  
  
  
• [00:04:00] The “eyeball method” vs. reproducible AI precision
  
  
  
• [00:05:00] DICOM and radiology’s standardization lessons
  
  
  
• [00:06:00] The ROI debate: business, operations & wellness
  
  
  
• [00:08:00] Staffing retention driving real-world digitization
  
  
  
• [00:09:00] New paths to part-time work with digital options
  
  
  
• [00:10:00] Networking, community & raising the online voice of pathology
  
  

#DigitalPathology #AIinDiagnostics #PathologyWorkflow #DirectToDigital

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

What does it take to build a digital pathology movement across the most diverse region on Earth?

In this episode of the Digital Pathology Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Junya Fukuoka, practicing pathologist, educator, and founder of the Asian Society of Digital Pathology (ASDP).

From Japan to India, Saudi Arabia to South Korea, Asia’s digital pathology adoption is growing rapidly—and Dr. Fukuoka is helping lead the charge.

We talk about why digital access, multilingual support, and patient advocacy are central to pathology adoption across Asia’s diverse regions.

We also explore what it means to “skip” a step in tech, and why static images and direct-to-digital imaging may be Asia’s most powerful tools.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• [00:01:00] Founding ASDP and the need for regional unification
• [00:03:00] Digital pathology in Japan: research, practice & education
• [00:05:00] Patient visibility, advocacy & the gateway to treatment
• [00:08:00] The speed of diagnosis when pathology goes digital
• [00:10:00] AI’s role in standardizing immunohistochemistry scoring
• [00:13:00] Diversity in Asia and the power of real-time translation
• [00:17:00] Static image pathology and skipping scanner dependence
• [00:21:00] Stats: 400 attendees, 45 vendors, 29 countries at ASDP
• [00:24:00] Invitation to the 2025 ASDP Congress in Mumbai, India
  
  

🎧 Listen now to learn how ASDP is empowering digital pathology with community, innovation, and inclusivity.

Episode Resources:
🔗 Join ASDP: https://asdp.ai

#DigitalPathology #ASDP #PathologyInnovation #GlobalHealth #AsiaInTech

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Hamid Tizhoosh, professor of biomedical informatics at the Mayo Clinic, to unravel what’s truly holding back AI in healthcare, especially pathology.

From the myths of general-purpose foundation models to the missing link of data availability, this conversation explores the technical and ethical realities of deploying AI that’s accurate, consistent, lean, fast, and robust.

📌 Topics We Cover

• [00:01:00] The five essential qualities AI must meet to be usable
• [00:04:00] Why foundation models often fail in histopathology
• [00:08:00] What “graceful failure” looks like in AI for diagnostics
• [00:13:00] The problem with data silos and missing clinical records
• [00:22:00] Why specialization in AI models is non-negotiable
• [00:34:00] The role of Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
• [00:43:00] How transformer models broke away from brain mimicry
• [00:50:00] Academic dishonesty, publication pressure & bias
• [01:04:00] Decentralized AI and why it won’t solve big problems
• [01:12:00] Data diversity, disparity, and the realities of healthcare bias
  
  

🔍 If you’ve ever wondered why AI tools stall in real-world pathology labs, this episode breaks it down with honesty, clarity, and vision.

THIS EPISODE’S RESOURCES:

• Foundation Models and Information Retrieval in Digital Pathology (Paper)
• Foundation Models and Information Retrieval in Digital Pathology (Video)
• This episode on YouTube

#DigitalPathology #AIinMedicine #ClinicalAI #PathologyInnovation #BiasInAI

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

In this episode of the Digital Pathology Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Yuri Nikiforov, founder of the World Tumor Registry, to explore how this global, open-access whole slide image platform contributes to cancer diagnostics, education, and research.

We talk about how the registry allows pathologists, researchers, and patients to view curated whole-slide images from around the world, starting with thyroid tumors and expanding into other cancers like breast and lung.

Learn how AI, molecular diagnostics, and editorial curation come together to build a truly global pathology tool that’s free for everyone, forever.

🧠 Key Highlights:

• [00:00:00] What the World Tumor Registry is and why it was created
  
  
  
• [00:03:00] How it works: curated, high-quality digital slides from across the globe
  
  
  
• [00:06:00] Interactive diagnostic tools for pathologists and students
  
  
  
• [00:10:00] Contributor guidelines and editorial board responsibilities
  
  
  
• [00:15:00] Using the platform as a patient, clinician, or researcher
  
  
  
• [00:24:00] The role of AI and future treatment-focused video add-ons
  
  
  
• [00:34:00] Platform design, data standards, and free access for all
  
  
  
• [00:42:00] Why this global database is a breakthrough for education and equity
  
  
  

🎧 Listen now to learn how you can contribute, explore rare cases, or use the platform to educate patients, students, and even yourself.

📌 Explore the Registry or Donate:
https://worldtumorregistry.org

#DigitalPathology #WorldTumorRegistry #GlobalCancerCare #PathologyEducation #OpenAccessData

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!

Send us a text

In this episode of the Digital Pathology Podcast, I explore the ethical and bias considerations in AI and machine learning through the lens of pathology. This is part six of our special seven-part series based on the landmark Modern Pathology review co-authored by the UPMC group, including Matthew Hanna, Liam Pantanowitz, and Hooman Rashidi.

From data bias and algorithmic bias to labeling, sampling, and representation issues, I break down where biases in AI can arise—and what we, as medical data stewards, must do to recognize, mitigate, and avoid them.

🔬 Key Topics Covered:

• [00:00:00] Introduction and post-USCAP 2025 reflections
• [00:03:00] Overview of AI and ethics paper from Modern Pathology
• [00:06:00] What it means to be a “data steward” in pathology
• [00:08:00] Core ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, justice & more
• [00:13:00] Types of bias in AI systems: data, sampling, algorithmic, labeling
• [00:22:00] Temporal and feedback loop bias examples in pathology
• [00:29:00] FDA involvement and global guidelines for ethical AI
• [00:34:00] Bias mitigation: from diverse datasets to ongoing monitoring
• [00:43:00] The FAIR principles for responsible data use
• [00:49:00] AI development & reporting frameworks: QUADAS, CONSORT, STARD

🩺 Why This Episode Matters:
If we want to deploy AI ethically and reliably in pathology, we must check our bias—not just once, but at every stage of AI development. This episode gives you practical tools, frameworks, and principles for building responsible AI workflows from the ground up.

🎧 Listen now and become a more conscious and capable digital pathology data steward.

👉 Get the Paper here: Ethical and Bias Considerations in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

📘 Explore more on this topic: https://digitalpathologyplace.com

Support the show

Become a Digital Pathology Trailblazer get the "Digital Pathology 101" FREE E-book and join us!