Digital Pathology Topic Center

This guideline helps pathologists and laboratories confirm diagnostic accuracy and equivalence with light microscopy of WSI systems before they are actually used for diagnostic purposes.
View Guideline Update

• Autopsy

• Dermatopathology

• Hematopathology

• Neuropathology

• Touch imprints and crush or scrape preparations

• Nongynecological cytopathology

• Fine-Needle Aspiration

The program provides feedback to laboratories using whole slide imaging for clinical applications. Participants upload their scanned whole slide images to the CAP designated server. In this educational program, an expert panel of pathologists, histotechnologists, and histotechnicians evaluates whole slide images for histologic technique and image quality. Participants receive laboratory-specific evaluations and participant summaries with performance benchmarking, commentary from evaluators, and peer comparison data as well as annotated feedback directly on their uploaded images.

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Qiangqiang Gu, Ankush Patel, Matthew G. Hanna, Jochen K. Lennerz, Chris Garcia, Mark Zarella, David McClintock, Steven N. Hart; Bridging the Clinical-Computational Transparency Gap in Digital Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2024; doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2023-0250-RA

Peter J. Schüffler, Evangelos Stamelos, Ishtiaque Ahmed, D. Vijay K. Yarlagadda, Orly Ardon, Matthew G. Hanna, Victor E. Reuter, David S. Klimstra, Meera Hameed; Efficient Visualization of Whole Slide Images in Web-based Viewers for Digital Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 October 2022; 146 (10): 1273–1280. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2021-0197-OA

Casey P. Schukow, Timothy Craig Allen; Digital and Computational Pathology Are Pathologists' Physician Extenders. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2024; doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2023-0537-ED

Andrew J Evans, Richard W. Brown, Marilyn M. Bui, Elizabeth A. Chlipala, Christina Lacchetti, Danny A. Milner, Liron Pantanowitz, Anil V. Parwani, Kearin Reid, Michael W. Riben, Victor E. Reuter, Lisa Stephens, Rachel L. Stewart, Nicole E. Thomas; Validating Whole Slide Imaging Systems for Diagnostic Purposes in Pathology: Guideline Update From the College of American Pathologists in Collaboration With the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the Association for Pathology Informatics. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 April 2022; 146 (4): 440–450. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2020-0723-CP

Rajendra Singh, Ji Yeon Kim, Eric F. Glassy, Rajesh C. Dash, Victor Brodsky, Jansen Seheult, M. E. de Baca, Qiangqiang Gu, Shannon Hoekstra, Bobbi S. Pritt; Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence: Contextualizing the Future. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 February 2025; 149 (2): 112–122. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2024-0221-RA

Matthew J. Cecchini, Michael J. Borowitz, Eric F. Glassy, Rama R. Gullapalli, Steven N. Hart, Lewis A. Hassell, Robert J. Homer, Ronald Jackups, Jeffrey L. McNeal, Scott R. Anderson; Harnessing the Power of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Pathology Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 February 2025; 149 (2): 142–151. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2024-0187-RA

Peter McCaffrey, Ronald Jackups, Jansen Seheult, Mark A. Zaydman, Ulysses Balis, Harshwardhan M. Thaker, Hooman Rashidi, Rama R. Gullapalli; Evaluating Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Pathology Practice: Opportunities and the Way Forward. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 February 2025; 149 (2): 130–141. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2024-0208-RA

Victor Brodsky, Ehsan Ullah, Andrey Bychkov, Andrew H. Song, Eric E. Walk, Peter Louis, Ghulam Rasool, Rajendra S. Singh, Faisal Mahmood, Marilyn M. Bui, Anil V. Parwani; Generative Artificial Intelligence in Anatomic Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2025; doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2024-0215-RA

Brian R. Jackson, Hooman H. Rashidi, Jochen K. Lennerz, M. E. de Baca; Ethical and Regulatory Perspectives on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1 February 2025; 149 (2): 123–129. doi: https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2024-0205-RA

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Dibson Gondim, MD, FCAP discuss implementing digital pathology at UofL Health. Dr. Gondim shares the challenges and easy wins that the University of Lousiville experienced during the process and how artificial intelligence will continue to impact digital pathology in the next 5 to 10 years. 

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Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Diana Cardona, MD, MBA, FCAP, discuss implementing digital pathology at Duke Health. Dr. Cardona shares the challenges and easy wins Duke Health has experienced so far in the process and where she sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is part of a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation.

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Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Jochen Lennerz, MD, PhD, FCAP discuss implementing digital pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital and creating the Pathology Innovation Collaborative Community (PIcc). Dr. Lennerz shares the challenges and easy wins Massachusetts General experienced during the process, where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years, and the importance of regulatory science. 

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Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP and Sam Terese, president and CEO of Alverno Laboratories, talk about the implementation of digital pathology in an integrated laboratory network. Sam shares the challenges and easy wins Alverno experienced during the process and where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the second in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation.

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Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Matthew Hanna, MD, FCAP talk about the implementation of digital pathology at their institution, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They talk about the challenges and easy wins they experienced during the process and where they see digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the first in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation. 

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The digital transformation of pathology is underway, and laboratories increasingly need equipment and software that enables the use of innovative diagnostic tools such as machine learning/artificial intelligence. To implement any of these diagnostic tools, laboratory leadership must take several pre-analytic considerations into account.

Matthew Hanna, MD, FCAP, authored a new case on this topic for the Informatics Essentials for Pathologists Program. In this episode, he shares insights on the prerequisites necessary for a successful digital pathology system implementation. 

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Access the Digital Pathology Resource Guide (CAP member resource only)

As a result of CAP advocacy, new codes introduced in 2024 help pathologists, pathology practices, and laboratories providing digital pathology digitization procedures to appropriately report these services for reimbursement.
View Digital Pathology Add-on Codes

Access DigitalScope

DCPC provides scientific expertise to the CAP regarding the use of digital tools for the practice of pathology. Additionally, the committee monitors new and emerging issues, practices, and technologies in digital pathology that may affect CAP members.

Learn more about the DCPC

CIPI serves as the CAP's coordinating entity for cross-council and committee informatics, HIT standards, data and system interoperability, and related innovation activities.

Learn more about CIPI

The DPA leads the advancement of digital pathology, empowering faster, more accurate diagnoses for improved patient outcomes. DPA drives innovation through education, best practices, and collaboration with regulatory bodies like the FDA. The DPA's Digital Anatomic Pathology Academy program is valuable resource utilizing whole slide images for education.

Learn more about DPA

The API promotes the field of pathology informatics as an academic and clinical subspecialty of pathology. API supports research, education, scientific meetings, and develops standards for reporting, transferring, storing, and merging confidential and other pathology-related information. 

Learn more about the Association of Pathology Informatics

The SIIM is a professional organization dedicated to the advancement of imaging informatics in healthcare. It focuses on the integration of imaging with other clinical data, including electronic health records (EHRs), to improve patient care, enhance workflow, and promote the use of technology in medical imaging. SIIM provides education, resources, and networking opportunities for professionals involved in imaging informatics, such as radiologists, IT specialists, and other healthcare professionals including pathologists. They work to advance the use of innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data analytics, in imaging. SIIM recently included pathologists on its board and committees and expanded the educational content designed for pathologists.
Learn more about SIIM