Digital pathology: Barriers to transitioning to the digital age

Digital pathology (DP) entails converting physical histologic data into a digital format, ultimately enhancing data transmission, archival, and retrieval. Moreover, digitization serves as an essential prerequisite for utilizing artificial intelligence programs in histologic image analysis. Clinical use of DP has had limited uptake despite its transformative potential and numerous proposed benefits. This paper explores the commonly cited workflow, regulatory, and financial barriers currently hindering DP implementation based on the published experiences of early adopters. It provides an overview of topics including relevant regulatory bodies and guidelines, cost-to-benefit analysis, data management, and the role of artificial intelligence within DP.