King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC), a healthcare, research and education institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has launched a virtual pathology service at its Madinah branch.

The service is designed to improve the diagnosis of cancer, inflammatory conditions, and microbiological causes in tissues through high-resolution digital analysis through advanced digital technologies.

The virtual pathology platform enables pathologists to conduct evaluations and diagnoses remotely with increased accuracy.

By utilising advanced imaging technologies, this service facilitates precision in the examination of tissue samples.

The initiative is part of KFSHRC's commitment to leveraging digital solutions in healthcare to enhance patient outcomes.

The virtual pathology service supports partnerships with several institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, US, to improve diagnosis for rare and complex cases.

The partnership enables faster access to expert opinions and advice, speeding up the decision-making process in diagnosis.

The reduced turnaround time mitigates patient anxiety and ensures timely initiation of treatment, which is crucial for patients facing challenging and emergency health conditions.

In addition to improving diagnostic accuracy, the virtual pathology service significantly reduces turnaround times for diagnoses.

What previously took over a week can now be accomplished in one day, eliminating the need for physical slide shipments and enhancing the accessibility of diagnostics.

In recent technological advancements, KFSHRC became the first healthcare facility in the Middle East to adopt liquid biopsy technology in November 2023.

This approach utilises a small 10ml blood sample to provide a less invasive alternative to traditional tissue biopsies.

Furthermore, KFSHRC successfully performed the world's first fully robotic liver transplant in September 2023.

The patient was a 66-year-old with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, a procedure conducted by the hospital's Organ Transplant Center of Excellence.