Automated analysis of pore structures in biomaterials.

Quantitative assessment of pore size and morphology is crucial in biomaterials design and evaluation, particularly hydrogels and scaffolds used in tissue engineering and drug delivery. In recent years, a growing number of studies have proposed or adopted automated image analysis tools to evaluate pore characteristics; however, the absence of standardised protocols, validation criteria, and consistent reporting practices has limited reproducibility and cross-study comparability. This perspective, for the first time, examines recent trends in automated pore size analysis in biomaterials research, highlighting commonly used algorithms, their implementation in image-based workflows, and their ability to resolve pore geometries in disordered materials. We discuss the influence of imaging dimension, resolution, algorithm assumptions, and image pre-processing on outcomes and highlight common challenges such as over-segmentation, user bias, and the misidentification of irregularly shaped pores. By drawing on selected examples from the literature, we illustrate both the strengths and limitations of current approaches and emphasise the need for transparent, standardised methodologies in the field.