● Application to a Pathological Diagnostic Support System for Liver Fibrosis
This method enables automated processing of liver fibrosis images from pathological specimens, providing highly quantitative and objective indicators that can support the diagnostic work of pathologists. Currently, methods capable of evaluating liver fibrosis as continuous numerical values include blood-based fibrosis biomarkers and elastography-based liver stiffness measurements; however, these methods are insufficient for discriminating early-stage or mild fibrosis. In contrast, this technique directly evaluates fibrosis within liver tissue itself and can quantify fibrosis continuously across stages from mild to severe, allowing for more accurate assessment of disease pathology. In drug discovery, this method is expected to enable precise evaluation of therapeutic effects, even in cases of subtle fibrosis improvement.