Society of Toxicologic Pathology Digital Pathology and Image Analysis Special Interest Group Article*: Opinion on the Application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Digital Toxicologic Pathology.

Journal: Toxicologic pathology
Published Date:

Abstract

Toxicologic pathology is transitioning from analog to digital methods. This transition seems inevitable due to a host of ongoing social and medical technological forces. Of these, artificial intelligence (AI) and in particular machine learning (ML) are globally disruptive, rapidly growing sectors of technology whose impact on the long-established field of histopathology is quickly being realized. The development of increasing numbers of algorithms, peering ever deeper into the histopathological space, has demonstrated to the scientific community that AI pathology platforms are now poised to truly impact the future of precision and personalized medicine. However, as with all great technological advances, there are implementation and adoption challenges. This review aims to define common and relevant AI and ML terminology, describe data generation and interpretation, outline current and potential future business cases, discuss validation and regulatory hurdles, and most importantly, propose how overcoming the challenges of this burgeoning technology may shape toxicologic pathology for years to come, enabling pathologists to contribute even more effectively to answering scientific questions and solving global health issues. [Box: see text].

Authors

  • Oliver C Turner
    Novartis, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Preclinical Safety, East Hanover, NJ, USA.
  • Famke Aeffner
    Amgen Research, Comparative Biology and Safety Sciences, Amgen Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
  • Dinesh S Bangari
    Sanofi, Global Discovery Pathology, Framingham, MA, USA.
  • Wanda High
    High Preclinical Pathology Consulting, Rochester, NY, USA.
  • Brian Knight
    Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Nonclinical Drug Safety, Ridgefield, CT, USA.
  • Tom Forest
    Merck & Co, Inc, West Point, PA, USA.
  • Brieuc Cossic
    Roche, Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Lauren E Himmel
    Division of Animal Care, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
  • Daniel G Rudmann
    Charles River Laboratories, Pathology, Ashland, OH, USA.
  • Bhupinder Bawa
    AbbVie, Preclinical Safety, North Chicago, IL, USA.
  • Anantharaman Muthuswamy
    Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, NY, USA.
  • Olulanu H Aina
    Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, NY, USA.
  • Elijah F Edmondson
    Pathology/Histotechnology Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA.
  • Chandrassegar Saravanan
    Novartis, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Preclinical Safety, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Danielle L Brown
    Charles River Laboratories, Durham, NC, USA.
  • Tobias Sing
    Novartis, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, NIBR Informatics, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Manu M Sebastian
    Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX, USA.