Chinese researchers plan to create 'digital kidney'

BEIJING -- Researchers from Peking University have launched the "Kidney Imageomics Project" to develop a "digital kidney" — a comprehensive digital atlas of the organ — using multi-modal imaging technology and artificial intelligence algorithms.

This "digital kidney" will enhance the visualization of kidney disease mechanisms, paving the way for more precise diagnoses, the development of new medicines, and targeted treatments.

The absence of overt clinical manifestations and paucity of clinically validated diagnostic biomarkers frequently result in delayed detection of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with most cases remaining undiagnosed until significant renal impairment occurs. Clinical presentation typically coincides with progression to advanced disease, highlighting critical gaps in early-stage diagnostic capabilities.

To address these diagnostic challenges, the National Biomedical Imaging Center (NBIC) and the Peking University First Hospital have spearheaded the kidney imageomics initiative, developing a 'digital kidney' through the integration of multidisciplinary technical frameworks.

This platform enables multiscale visualization of renal architecture — spanning molecular dynamics and cellular interactions to systemic organ functionality — thereby establishing a computational paradigm for precision nephrology.

The "digital kidney" will integrate multimodal imaging to map out the internal structure and dynamic evolution of a real kidney.

The most significant features of the "digital kidney" are dynamic simulation, panoramic visualization, and multidimensional visibility. The "digital kidney" can be regarded as a "transparent organ" presented on digital imaging, capable of overcoming the limitations of spatial resolution and information dimensions in traditional pathological examinations.

It allows for a layer-by-layer dissection of the kidney, simulating normal function and detecting symptoms of kidney disease with precision.

In terms of clinical practice, the "digital kidney" can help precisely locate the source of the lesion and construct a personalized digital model by integrating the patients' clinical data, said Yang Li, vice-president of Peking University First Hospital. This enables the selection of the optimal treatment plan, thereby enhancing early diagnostic capabilities and personalized treatment.

The researchers expect to construct a digital animal kidney within three years and a digital human kidney within 10 years. At present, they have successfully mapped imaging data across multiple modalities, including ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and pathology, and have integrated the imaging data from each modality.

The kidney imageomics project will also provide an important reference for the digital modeling of other organs, said Cheng Heping, director of the NBIC.

Such medical progress has been recently published in the journal National Science Review.

The kidney, as a core organ in maintaining human homeostasis, has a complex structure and physiological function. Because of this complexity, it is susceptible to damage from metabolic disorders, immune disorders, ischemia and hypoxia, infections, and toxins, leading to CKD and acute kidney injury.

The 20th World Kidney Day falls on March 13 this year, with the theme "Are your kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health."

China currently has over 120 million chronic kidney disease patients, with higher risk factors among those aged 65 and above.