The University Hospital RWTH Aachen is comprehensively digitalizing the Institute of Pathology this year as part of the Hospital Future Fund funding. The digitalization of the institute's diagnostic processes initially enables a more efficient and flexible way of working, as the transport and shipping of analog slide preparations is eliminated. A key aspect is the development and use of artificial intelligence tools in pathological diagnostics, which only become possible through digitalization and will lead to increased precision in pathology.
The University Hospital RWTH Aachen is among the first university hospitals to fully digitalize their pathology department. The Institute of Pathology at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen, under the direction of Prof. Dr. D. Jonigk, is thus taking a pioneering role in Germany. Previously, the Aachen Pathology department could already look back on a successful research history in digital pathology. The institute's special focus on Digital Pathology is reflected in the establishment of a dedicated professorship (Junior Prof. Dr. R. Bülow), as well as numerous high-ranking publications in renowned journals (e.g., The Lancet Digital Health, NPJ Digital Medicine, Nature Communications) and a large amount of acquired third-party funding of about 7.5 mio Euros in the last 5 years.
The complete digitalization of pathology means that primary diagnostics will no longer be performed on slide preparations under the microscope, but rather the preparations will be digitalized and analyzed on screens. This revolutionizes the diagnostic process, as the image serving as the basis for the pathological findings is immediately available to all colleagues in the institute and external colleagues and can be discussed without additional logistical effort. Furthermore, the digital transformation opens up new possibilities through the use of artificial intelligence in diagnostics. Only through the workflow in a digitalized pathology can tools be meaningfully developed and implemented. Initially, the focus is on the exact quantification of predictive biomarkers such as the estrogen receptor or HER2 in breast cancer. Additionally, more complex artificial intelligence tools will be developed and implemented for better detection and classification of tumors.
The project was initiated by Prof. P. Boor from the Institute of Pathology and successfully developed and implemented over several years in close cooperation with the board. The IT department of the University Hospital RWTH Aachen is also closely involved in the project. The digitalization is being carried out under the responsible management of aetherAI company in cooperation with Hamamatsu Photonics, which provides whole slide scanners. The complete implementation of this project is planned for the second half of 2025.
