State Space Models for Long-Range Dependency Modeling in Histopathological Image Analysis
Keywords:
state space models, histopathology, long-range dependencies, computational pathology, digital pathology, system governanceAbstract
Histopathological image analysis presents a distinct set of representational and infrastructural challenges because diagnostically meaningful patterns extend across widely separated regions of gigapixel whole slide images. Convolutional architectures are efficient but local by design, while attention-based models enable global interactions at substantial computational cost. State space models have recently emerged as an architectural middle ground that supports long-range sequence modeling with a bounded state representation. This paper provides a systems-oriented examination of state space models for histopathological image analysis, moving beyond accuracy comparisons to analyze structural trade-offs in deployment, data governance, fairness, clinical accountability, and regulatory compliance. The discussion situates state space models within the larger computational pathology ecosystem, including whole slide imaging pipelines, laboratory information systems, federated learning infrastructure, and postmarket surveillance. The paper argues that the value of state space models depends not only on their capacity to capture long-range dependencies but also on how their architectural properties intersect with institutional workflows, equity safeguards, sustainability requirements, and evolving policy frameworks. The analysis integrates perspectives from machine learning, digital pathology, health informatics, and socio-technical systems research.
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