Building a Pediatric Digital Pathology Workflow with KFBIO AI and Whole Slide Imaging

Digital Transformation in Pediatric Pathology at Zhejiang Children’s Hospital

Zhejiang University School of Medicine Children’s Hospital is a leading pediatric medical center in China.

The hospital manages more than 25,000 pathology slides every year. Its pathology department includes 19 specialists, including four senior pathologists.

The department provides diagnosis for various pediatric diseases. These areas include gastrointestinal diseases, solid tumors, hematologic tumors, dermatopathology, and nephropathology.

As the demand for accurate and efficient diagnosis continues to grow, the hospital needed a more advanced pathology workflow.

To support its clinical and research goals, Zhejiang Children’s Hospital partnered with KFBIO.

Together, they introduced the KF-FL Series Brightfield & Fluorescence Integrated Scanner.

The system has become an important part of the hospital’s digital pathology workflow.

It supports both routine diagnosis and advanced research applications. In addition, it helps pathologists improve efficiency and manage complex pediatric cases.

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Addressing Diagnostic Challenges with Stable Brightfield Scanning

In pediatric pathology, image quality and workflow stability are essential.

Pathologists often need to review complex cases. They also need to share digital slides with international partners in countries such as the United States and Singapore.

Therefore, digital pathology systems must provide clear images and reliable performance.

To address these needs, KFBIO provides advanced scanning technology with strong stability.

The KFBIO linear scanning technology delivers high-quality brightfield images.

Meanwhile, advanced image processing algorithms improve image clarity and diagnostic accuracy.

As a result, the KF-FL Series supports high-volume pathology workflows while reducing system downtime.

This allows the hospital to maintain continuous clinical operations and provide more efficient diagnostic services.

Enhancing Image Quality for Future Digital Pathology Applications

High-quality digital images are important for both diagnosis and AI development.

Therefore, KFBIO continues to work closely with Zhejiang Children’s Hospital to improve image quality.

Based on feedback from the pathology team, KFBIO is developing further software upgrades.

These improvements focus on image clarity, consistency, and whole slide imaging performance.

In the future, enhanced image quality will provide stronger support for AI-assisted diagnosis and advanced pathology research.

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Advancing Fluorescence Pathology with Flexible Imaging Solutions

Fluorescence imaging plays an important role in pediatric pathology.

At Zhejiang Children’s Hospital, fluorescence testing is frequently used for both clinical diagnosis and research projects.

However, pediatric pathology often requires more flexible imaging capabilities.

Different cases may require different fluorescence channels, from two-color to seven-color imaging.

Therefore, laboratories need a system that can support various applications with high accuracy and stability.

To meet these needs, KFBIO introduced the KF-FL Series Brightfield & Fluorescence Integrated Scanner.

The system combines brightfield and fluorescence imaging in one platform.

As a result, it supports routine clinical diagnosis and advanced research applications.

Supporting Clinical Diagnosis and Scientific Research

The KF-FL Series is designed for complex pathology environments.

It provides multi-channel fluorescence imaging capabilities for different clinical and research requirements.

Meanwhile, the system maintains high image quality and stable performance.

This allows pathologists and researchers to analyze complex samples more efficiently.

In addition, KFBIO continues to improve fluorescence imaging algorithms.

These improvements focus on key factors, including color accuracy, signal quality, and image consistency.

Through continuous optimization, KFBIO helps laboratories achieve more reliable fluorescence pathology results.

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Improving Pediatric Pathology Efficiency with Smart Workflow Solutions

Pediatric pathology has unique challenges.

Compared with general pathology, pediatric cases often involve:

• Large case volumes
• Fast turnaround requirements
• Diverse disease types

Therefore, pathology laboratories need solutions that are accurate, efficient, and easy to use.

The KF-FL Series helps address these challenges through advanced imaging technology and optimized workflow design.

1. Stable Performance with Low Downtime

First, the KF-FL Series provides reliable operation for continuous clinical use.

Its linear scanning technology supports stable performance during high-volume workflows.

This capability is especially important for departments processing more than 25,000 slides each year.

As a result, pathologists can maintain efficient daily operations without unnecessary interruptions.

2. Simple Workflow and Easy Operation

In addition, the KF-FL Series offers an intuitive user experience.

Its streamlined workflow reduces training time and improves daily efficiency.

Therefore, pathologists can focus more on diagnosis instead of complex system operations.

Since implementing KFBIO scanners, the department has achieved improved digital workflow efficiency.

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AI-Powered Pediatric Kidney Diagnosis: A New Approach to Renal Pathology

Pediatric kidney disease diagnosis presents unique challenges.

Children’s kidney diseases may show subtle changes. In addition, biopsy interpretation can be complex.

Traditional manual analysis requires significant time and expertise.

To address these challenges, Zhejiang Children’s Hospital and KFBIO launched a joint innovation project.

Together, they developed the AI-based Pediatric Kidney Diagnosis (APKD) system.

It is one of the first AI solutions designed specifically for pediatric renal pathology.

The system combines artificial intelligence with digital pathology and whole slide imaging technology.

As a result, it helps pathologists perform faster and more quantitative kidney disease analysis.

Building a Strong Data Foundation for AI Diagnosis

The APKD system was developed using a large and high-quality dataset.

The project included:

• 2,935 pediatric renal biopsy specimens
• Digital slides scanned at 10× and 40× magnification using KFBIO scanners
• High-quality images with minimal artifacts
• 93,932 manually annotated structures completed by three senior pathologists

These annotations included important kidney structures, such as:

• Glomeruli
• Tubules
• Mesangial areas

This strong data foundation supports accurate AI model training and clinical application.

AI Performance and Clinical Value

The APKD system achieved excellent recognition performance.

Key results include:

• 94% average accuracy in tissue structure recognition
• 99% accuracy in glomerulus detection
• 5.5× faster analysis compared with manual review

In traditional workflows, reviewing one whole slide image (WSI) takes about 37 seconds.

With AI assistance, the analysis time can be reduced to approximately 7 seconds.

Therefore, the system helps pathologists complete quantitative assessments more efficiently.

It also supports the evaluation of important pathological features, including:

• Mesangial hyperplasia
• Endocapillary proliferation
• Other key indicators related to diseases such as IgA nephropathy and Henoch–Schönlein purpura nephritis

Through AI-assisted analysis, the system provides more objective and efficient support for pediatric kidney disease diagnosis.

Building the Future of Pediatric Digital Pathology

Zhejiang Children’s Hospital is continuing to develop a comprehensive digital pathology ecosystem.

The hospital’s digital transformation plan 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

To support this vision, KFBIO provides advanced digital pathology solutions.

These solutions include:

• High-performance viewing software
• Digital slide storage systems
• Remote consultation capabilities
• Data-sharing platforms
• AI-powered pathology applications
• Future mobile workflow solutions

In addition, KFBIO continues to improve brightfield image quality, fluorescence imaging performance, and AI capabilities.

Creating a Smarter Pediatric Pathology Ecosystem

The collaboration between Zhejiang Children’s Hospital and KFBIO demonstrates the power of combining clinical needs with advanced technology.

By integrating digital pathology, whole slide imaging, and artificial intelligence, both organizations are building a smarter pathology workflow.

This approach connects clinical diagnosis, scientific research, and digital innovation.

Moving forward, KFBIO will continue to optimize imaging technologies, expand AI applications, and support more hospitals worldwide in their digital pathology transformation.

Together, KFBIO and healthcare institutions are creating a more efficient, accurate, and connected future for pathology.