Only 90 Seconds Per Slide: How AI Is Transforming Pathology Diagnosis

How Long Does It Take to Diagnose One Pathology Slide?

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to diagnose a liquid-based cytology (LBC) slide?

For an experienced pathologist, diagnosing a single LBC case typically takes 3–5 minutes. However, pathology laboratories process hundreds or even thousands of slides every day. As screening volumes continue to increase, maintaining both efficiency and diagnostic quality becomes a growing challenge.

Now imagine reducing that review time to just 90 seconds per slide.

This is becoming possible with AI-assisted digital pathology. By combining artificial intelligence with whole slide imaging (WSI), laboratories can accelerate cervical cancer screening while helping pathologists focus on the cases that require the most attention.

The Growing Demand for Smarter Cervical Cancer Screening

In 2021, the Ningbo Pathology Center processed 150,000 cervical cancer screening cases. Among them, 100,000 cases came from local hospitals, while 50,000 cases were submitted through a remote pathology consultation platform from other provinces.

This large workload reflects a broader trend across modern pathology laboratories. As healthcare providers expand screening programs and remote pathology services, the number of pathology slides continues to grow every year.

Meanwhile, every gynecological liquid-based cytology slide contains approximately 30,000–50,000 cells. Careful examination of every cell requires significant time and concentration. Even highly experienced pathologists can review only about 100 slides per day.

In addition, fewer than 10% of cervical cytology slides contain abnormal findings. As a result, pathologists spend much of their time reviewing negative cases before identifying the relatively small number of suspicious slides.

Therefore, laboratories need a more efficient way to identify negative slides while ensuring that potentially abnormal cases receive careful clinical review.

AI Makes Cervical Cancer Screening More Efficient

To address this challenge, the Ningbo Pathology Center collaborated with KFBIO to develop an AI-assisted cervical cancer screening system.

After three years of research and validation, the solution was successfully introduced into routine pathology practice. It now helps pathologists improve screening efficiency while maintaining diagnostic quality.

Unlike traditional manual screening, AI analyzes every digital slide automatically. The system reviews each cell, extracts thousands of cellular features, and classifies potential abnormalities using deep learning algorithms. It then generates objective analytical results that support pathologists during diagnosis.

Importantly, AI does not replace professional judgment. Instead, it serves as an intelligent assistant that helps pathologists identify suspicious regions more quickly and consistently.

From Glass Slides to AI-Assisted Diagnosis

An efficient AI workflow begins with high-quality digital pathology.

First, pathology samples are prepared, stained, and sealed following standard laboratory procedures. Next, the slides are digitized using a digital pathology scanner to create high-resolution whole slide images (WSIs). These digital images provide the foundation for AI analysis.

Once scanning is complete, the AI system automatically reviews each slide and highlights suspicious cells. Pathologists can then concentrate on the slides that require expert interpretation rather than manually reviewing every negative case.

This human-AI collaboration improves workflow efficiency while allowing pathologists to maintain full control over the final diagnosis.

Analyze One Slide in Just 90 Seconds

One of the biggest advantages of AI-assisted pathology is speed.

After a slide is digitized, the AI system automatically scans every cell on the whole slide image. It then identifies suspicious cells, highlights abnormal regions, and prioritizes cases that need closer review. This process takes only 90 seconds per slide.

The system can process up to 1,200 slides per day, far exceeding the capacity of manual screening. Instead of spending hours reviewing a large number of negative slides, pathologists can focus on cases that require clinical expertise.

As a result, laboratories can improve productivity while maintaining high diagnostic standards.

Benefits of AI-Assisted Pathology

AI delivers value beyond faster slide review. It also helps pathology laboratories build more standardized and efficient workflows.

Some of the key benefits include:

• Higher screening efficiency by reducing repetitive manual review.
• Improved diagnostic consistency through objective image analysis.
• Earlier identification of suspicious cases, allowing pathologists to prioritize complex slides.
• Reduced workload, especially for large-scale screening programs.
• Better use of clinical expertise, as pathologists can spend more time on challenging diagnoses.

Importantly, AI supports pathologists rather than replacing them. Clinical experience and professional judgment remain essential throughout the diagnostic process.

Digital Pathology Creates the Foundation for AI

Although AI attracts significant attention, successful implementation begins with digital pathology.

Before AI can analyze tissue samples, laboratories must first create high-quality whole slide images. Consistent image quality is essential because AI algorithms depend on accurate digital data.

An AI-ready pathology workflow typically includes:

1. Slide preparation and staining
2. High-resolution whole slide scanning
3. Secure image management
4. AI-assisted image analysis
5. Pathologist review and diagnosis
6. Structured reporting and quality control

When these steps work together, laboratories can improve both efficiency and diagnostic confidence.

This is why digital pathology infrastructure is just as important as AI itself.

How KFBIO Supports AI-Ready Digital Pathology

At KFBIO, we believe that AI performs best within a complete digital pathology ecosystem.

Our end-to-end solutions support every stage of the pathology workflow, from slide digitization to AI integration. By combining advanced hardware with intelligent software, KFBIO helps laboratories accelerate digital transformation while maintaining high clinical standards.

Our digital pathology portfolio includes:

• Digital Pathology Scanners for high-resolution whole slide imaging.
• Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) solutions for routine diagnosis and research.
• Digital Slide Management System for secure storage and efficient collaboration.
• AI-ready Digital Pathology Platforms that support workflow integration.
• Remote Pathology Consultation solutions for multi-site collaboration.

Together, these technologies help hospitals and laboratories build scalable, future-ready pathology workflows.

Looking Ahead

Artificial intelligence continues to reshape pathology. As AI models become more accurate and digital pathology becomes more widely adopted, laboratories will gain new opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, and patient care.

The collaboration between the Ningbo Pathology Center and KFBIO demonstrates how AI can transform cervical cancer screening in real clinical practice. More importantly, it shows that AI is most effective when combined with high-quality digital pathology infrastructure and standardized workflows.

Looking ahead, AI will become an increasingly valuable partner for pathologists. Rather than replacing clinical expertise, it will continue to enhance diagnostic workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and support faster, more reliable pathology services.

Conclusion

AI-assisted pathology is changing the way laboratories approach cervical cancer screening. By reducing manual workload and improving workflow efficiency, AI allows pathologists to focus on the cases that matter most.

However, AI alone is not enough. Hospitals also need reliable digital pathology infrastructure, standardized workflows, and high-quality whole slide imaging to achieve long-term success.

KFBIO is committed to supporting this transformation through comprehensive digital pathology solutions. From advanced slide scanners to AI-ready workflow platforms, we help healthcare organizations build smarter, more efficient pathology laboratories for the future.

(Article partially from Ningbo Pathology Center)