Overview

Zhejiang University School of Medicine Children’s Hospital (Zhejiang Children’s Hospital), a leading pediatric medical center in China, manages over 25,000 pathology slides annually with a team of 19 specialists, including four senior pathologists. Its diagnostic workload spans gastrointestinal diseases, solid and hematologic tumors, dermatopathology, nephropathology, and more, incorporating digital pathology pediatric pathology KFBIO KF-FL scanner capabilities enhanced by advanced fluorescence imaging techniques.

To support its commitment to precision and digital innovation, the hospital has partnered with KFBIO to deploy the KF-FL Series Brightfield & Fluorescence Integrated Scanner, which now plays a central role in meeting the hospital’s demanding diagnostic and research needs using fluorescence imaging for pediatric pathology.

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Addressing Core Diagnostic Challenges: Stable Brightfield Scanning for High-Volume Workflows

In routine pediatric diagnostics, stability and clarity of digital slides are critical—especially for international consultations with partners in the United States, Singapore, and beyond. This setup greatly utilizes AI diagnosis renal pathology technique through digital pathology.

The KFBIO linear scanning technology ensures exceptional stability in brightfield imaging, while advanced post-processing algorithms deliver high diagnostic fidelity. This solution now supports the hospital’s heavy daily workload, minimizes downtime, and ensures continuity of clinical operations.

In response to additional clarity-enhancement requests from the pathology team, KFBIO has already aligned with the hospital to define the next stage of software upgrades, laying the groundwork for continued image quality optimization in whole slide imaging, crucial for efficient AI application.

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Advancing Fluorescence Pathology: A Dual-Use Solution for Clinical and Research Needs

Fluorescence testing is a high-frequency, high-complexity requirement at Zhejiang Children’s Hospital, covering two-color to seven-color fluorescence for both clinical diagnostics and national research platform projects.

The KF-FL Series integrated brightfield-fluorescence system is uniquely suited to this hybrid environment. It supports routine fluorescence diagnosis while enabling multi-channel, research-level fluorescence imaging—a key part of digital pathology pediatric pathology—meeting demands that far exceed those of a typical pathology department.

Based on clinician feedback, KFBIO continues to refine fluorescence imaging algorithms to further enhance color fidelity, signal-to-noise ratio, and dynamic range in digital pathology pediatric pathology applications.

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Improving Turnaround Time: Tailored for Pediatric Pathology’s “Urgent, High-Volume, Diverse” Needs

Pediatric pathology is characterized by:

• Large case volumes
• Fast turnaround expectations
• Highly diverse disease types

To address these challenges:

1. Ultra-low downtime with linear scanning engine

The KF-FL design ensures high operational stability under continuous use—an essential capability for a department processing over 25,000 slides per year. This capacity is essential for digital pathology pediatric pathology and ensures continuous service in fluorescence imaging diagnosis.

2. Simplified workflow and ease of use

The scanner’s intuitive interface and streamlined processes reduce training time and help pathologists remain focused on critical diagnostic tasks, integrating AI for more efficient digital pathology handling.

The department reports a significant improvement in overall digital workflow efficiency since implementing KFBIO scanners.

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Specialized Collaboration in Pediatric Nephropathy: AI-Driven Breakthroughs

Pediatric kidney diseases pose unique diagnostic challenges: subtle presentation, complex biopsy interpretation, and structural differences compared with adult kidneys. These are optimally managed through digital pathology and whole slide imaging innovations.

To address these needs, Zhejiang Children’s Hospital and KFBIO launched a joint innovation project to develop the AI-based Pediatric Kidney Diagnosis (APKD) system—one of the world’s first AI solutions dedicated to pediatric renal pathology, utilizing digital pathology and whole slide imaging technology.

Data Foundation

• 2,935 pediatric renal biopsy specimens
• Digitized at 10× and 40× using KFBIO scanners
• High-quality imaging ensured minimal artifacts and accurate representation
• 93,932 manually annotated structures (glomeruli, tubules, mesangial areas, etc.) by three senior pathologists

AI Performance

• 94% average accuracy in structural recognition
• 99% accuracy in glomerulus detection
• 5.5× faster analysis vs. manual review
  • Manual review per WSI: 37 seconds
  • AI review per WSI: 7 seconds

The system enables quantitative assessment of mesangial hyperplasia, endocapillary proliferation, and other critical features in diseases such as IgA nephropathy and Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis.

These advances fill an international gap in AI-assisted pediatric renal pathology and have generated both research result and clinical adoption globally.

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Building the Future: Toward an Integrated Pediatric Digital Pathology Ecosystem

Zhejiang Children’s Hospital is designing a digital blueprint that includes:

• Cloud-based quality control
• Cross-campus diagnostic collaboration (including the Moganshan campus)
• Integration of clinical and research workflows
• International case exchange and training
• Mobile and remote access for pathologists

KFBIO supports this vision through:

• Powerful viewing software and digital storage systems with whole slide imaging, advancing digital pathology in pediatric healthcare.
• Remote consultation and data-sharing capabilities
• Planned mobile application integration
• Expanded research modules and AI features
• Continued upgrades in brightfield clarity and fluorescence imaging

This partnership represents a model of clinical demand + technological capability, driving an integrated ecosystem that unites clinical diagnosis, scientific research, and digital transformation.

KFBIO will continue to optimize imaging quality, expand AI capabilities, and replicate this pediatric digital pathology model across more hospitals worldwide.