Detection and classification of lung nodules in chest X-ray images using deep convolutional neural networks

Lung nodule classification is one of the main topics related to computer-aided detection systems. Although convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been demonstrated to perform well on many tasks, there are few explorations of their use for classifying lung nodules in chest X-ray (CXR) images. In this work, we proposed and analyzed a pipeline for detecting lung nodules in CXR images that includes lung area segmentation, potential nodule localization, and nodule candidate classification. We presented a method for classifying nodule candidates with a CNN trained from the scratch. The effectiveness of our method relies on the selection of data augmentation parameters, the design of a specialized CNN architecture, the use of dropout regularization on the network, inclusive in convolutional layers, and addressing the lack of nodule samples compared to background samples balancing mini-batches on each stochastic gradient descent iteration. All model selection decisions were taken using a CXR subset of the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative dataset separately. Thus, we used all images with nodules in the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology dataset for evaluation. Our experiments showed that CNNs were capable of achieving competitive results when compared to state-of-the-art methods. Our proposal obtained an area under the free-response receiver operating characteristic curve of 7.76 considering 10 false positives per image (FPPI), and sensitivity values of 73.1% and 79.6% with 2 and 5 FPPI, respectively.     

基于卷积神经网络的胸片肺野自动分割

针对传统胸片肺野分割方法需要人工干预、提取特征以及对先验知识的依赖性问题,提出了一种基于卷积神经网络(CNN)的胸片肺野自动分割方法,将X光胸片的分割问题转换为图像块的分类问题.将原图像分割成左、右肺,切块处理后分别作为训练样本,利用深度学习自动发现图像块中的潜在特征,对图像块进行分类,并将结果映射成二值图,得到初步分割结果,再对其进行后处理,合并之后作为最终的分割结果.实验表明:此方法在公开的JSRT数据集上进行测试,Jaccard指标可达94.6%,平均边界距离(MBD)指标达到1.10 mm,较现存分割算法更加出色.     

基于深度迁移学习的肺结节分割方法

针对U-Net分割小体积肺结节效果较差的问题,提出一种基于深度迁移学习的分割方法,利用分块式叠加微调（BSFT）策略辅助分割肺结节。首先,利用卷积神经网络学习自然图像大数据集的特征信息;然后,将所学特征迁移到进行肺结节图像小数据集分割的网络,从该网络最后一个下采样层开始逐块释放、微调训练,直到网络完成最后一层的叠加;最后,定量分析Dice相似性系数,以确定最佳分割网络。实验结果表明,BSFT在LUNA16肺结节公开数据集上的Dice值达到0.917 9,该策略的性能明显优于主流肺结节分割算法。     

融合超像素和CNN的CT图像分割方法

提出了一种融合超像素和CNN的CT图像器官主动轮廓分割方法。用超像素SLIC方法将CT图像网格化并分配标签;将网格化后图像作为数据集训练CNN网络分割出器官（如肝脏、肺部等）边界超像素,并将这些超像素的种子点连接成为粗分割边界;将粗分割边界作为初始轮廓,进行模糊主动轮廓分割得到CT图像中器官的边界。经过实验对比,该方法对肺部CT图像的分割平均DC系数达到97%、平均ASD系数达到1.23 mm。在肝脏CT图像方面与参考算法进行相比,在保证分割精度的前提下,VOE系数平均减少1%,切片图像的分割时间平均提高10 s。     

具有双向增强特征结构的U型肺结节分割网络

在CT影像中精准而有效地分割出肺部结节是肺癌早期诊断的关键。然而,肺结节形态的多样性以及周围环境的复杂性,都给肺结节分割的鲁棒性带来了巨大的挑战。为提高CT影像中肺结节分割的准确性,提出了Bi EFP-UNet(bidirectional enhanced feature pyramid UNet)肺结节分割网络。该结构采用端到端的深度学习方法来解决肺结节的分割任务,通过在原始U-Net网络的编码器和解码器结构之间集成一个双向增强型特征金字塔网络（bidirectional enhanced feature pyramid network,Bi EFPN）,加强网络对特征的传递与利用;利用Mish激活函数提高分割效率,并消除原始U-Net网络梯度消失的问题。在肺结节公开数据集LUNA16上的实验结果表明,Bi EFP-UNet网络的Dice相似系数（DSC）可达88.32%,其中,Bi EFPN结构带来的提升为5.25个百分点,Mish激活函数带来的提升为1.21个百分点;与原始U-Net网络相比,Bi EFP-UNet网络的DSC提升了6.46个百分点,能有效解决原始U-Net网络对...     

基于多尺度分块卷积神经网络的图像目标识别算法

针对图像在平移、旋转或局部形变等复杂情况下的识别问题,提出一种基于非监督预训练和多尺度分块的卷积神经网络(CNN)目标识别算法。算法首先利用不含标签的图像训练一个稀疏自动编码器,得到符合数据集特性、有较好初始值的滤波器集合。为了增强鲁棒性,同时减小下采样对特征提取的影响,提出一种多通路结构的卷积神经网络,对输入图像进行多尺度分块形成多个通路,每个通路与相应尺寸的滤波器卷积,不同通路的特征经过局部对比度标准化和下采样后在全连接层进行融合,从而形成最终用于图像分类的特征,将特征输入分类器完成图像目标识别。仿真实验中,所提算法对STL-10数据集和遥感飞机图像的识别率较传统的CNN均有提高,并对图像各种形变具有较好的鲁棒性。     

11K Hands: Gender recognition and biometric identification using a large dataset of hand images

Human hand not only possesses distinctive feature for gender information, it is also considered one of the primary biometric traits used to identify a person. Unlike face images, which are usually unconstrained, an advantage of hand images is they are usually captured under a controlled position. Most state-of-the-art methods, that rely on hand images for gender recognition or biometric identification, employ handcrafted features to train an off-the-shelf classifier or be used by a similarity metric for biometric identification. In this work, we propose a deep learning-based method to tackle the gender recognition and biometric identification problems. Specifically, we design a two-stream convolutional neural network (CNN) which accepts hand images as input and predicts gender information from these hand images. This trained model is then used as a feature extractor to feed a set of support vector machine classifiers for biometric identification. As part of this effort, we propose a large dataset of human hand images, 11K Hands, which contains dorsal and palmar sides of human hand images with detailed ground-truth information for different problems including gender recognition and biometric identification. By leveraging thousands of hand images, we could effectively train our CNN-based model achieving promising results. One of our findings is that the dorsal side of human hands is found to have effective distinctive features similar to, if not better than, those available in the palmar side of human hand images. To facilitate access to our 11K Hands dataset, the dataset, the trained CNN models, and our Matlab source code are available at (https://goo.gl/rQJndd).

     

基于卷积神经网络的胸片肺结节检测

针对目前胸片的肺结节检测方案的检出率较低,且存在大量的假阳性的问题,提出了一种新的基于卷积神经网络(CNN)的肺结节检测方案.增强肺结节区域的图像信号;选择正、负样本训练卷积神经网络模型,检测结节时用滑动窗口的方法对增强后的图片进行处理得到候选区域;根据候选区域的面积排除假阳性.方案中省略了传统方法中的肺区分割步骤,避免了因此可能丢失的肺结节图像.在日本放射技术学会(JSRT)数据库上测试结果显示,系统在平均每幅图5.0个假阳性水平下敏感度为86％,对不明显和非常不明显的结节检出率达到了84％,优于当前相关文献报道的方法.     

注意力机制下密集空洞卷积的肺部图像分割

目的 卷积神经网络（convolutional neural network,CNN）在计算机辅助诊断（computer-aided diagnosis,CAD）肺部疾病方面具有广泛的应用,其主要工作在于肺部实质的分割、肺结节检测以及病变分析,而肺实质的精确分割是肺结节检出和肺部疾病诊断的关键。因此,为了更好地适应计算机辅助诊断系统要求,提出一种融合注意力机制和密集空洞卷积的具有编码—解码模式的卷积神经网络,进行肺部分割。方法 将注意力机制引入网络的解码部分,通过增大关键信息权重以突出目标区域抑制背景像素干扰。为了获取更广更深的语义信息,将密集空洞卷积模块部署在网络中间,该模块集合了Inception、残差结构以及多尺度空洞卷积的优点,在不引起梯度爆炸和梯度消失的情况下,获得了更深层次的特征信息。针对分割网络常见的特征丢失等问题,对网络中的上/下采样模块进行改进,利用多个不同尺度的卷积核级联加宽网络,有效避免了特征丢失。结果 在LUNA （lung nodule analysis）数据集上与现有5种主流分割网络进行比较实验和消融实验,结果表明,本文模型得到的预测图更接近于标签图像。Dice相似系数、交并比（intersection over union,IoU）、准确度（accuracy,ACC）以及敏感度（sensitivity,SE）等评价指标均优于对比方法,相比于性能第2的模型,分别提高了0.443%,0.272%,0.512%以及0.374%。结论 本文提出了一种融合注意力机制与密集空洞卷积的肺部分割网络,相对于其他分割网络取得了更好的分割效果。     

改进U-Net网络的肺结节分割方法

为了对CT图像中的肺结节进行准确地分割,提出了一种基于改进的U-Net网络的肺结节分割方法。该方法通过引入密集连接,加强网络对特征的传递与利用,并且可以避免梯度消失的问题,同时采用改进的混合损失函数以缓解类不平衡问题。在LIDC-IDRI肺结节公开数据库上的实验结果表明,该方法达到的Dice相似系数值、准确率和召回率分别为84.48%、85.35%和83.81%。与其他分割网络相比,该方法能够准确地分割出肺结节区域,具有良好的分割性能。     

Pathological lung segmentation based on random forest combined with deep model and multi-scale superpixels

Accurate segmentation of lungs in pathological thoracic computed tomography (CT) scans plays an important role in pulmonary disease diagnosis. However, it is still a challenging task due to the variability of pathological lung appearances and shapes. In this paper, we proposed a novel segmentation algorithm based on random forest (RF), deep convolutional network, and multi-scale superpixels for segmenting pathological lungs from thoracic CT images accurately. A pathological thoracic CT image is first segmented based on multi-scale superpixels, and deep features, texture, and intensity features extracted from superpixels are taken as inputs of a group of RF classifiers. With the fusion of classification results of RFs by a fractional-order gray correlation approach, we capture an initial segmentation of pathological lungs. We finally utilize a divide-and-conquer strategy to deal with segmentation refinement combining contour correction of left lungs and region repairing of right lungs. Our algorithm is tested on a group of thoracic CT images affected with interstitial lung diseases. Experiments show that our algorithm can achieve a high segmentation accuracy with an average DSC of 96.45% and PPV of 95.07%. Compared with several existing lung segmentation methods, our algorithm exhibits a robust performance on pathological lung segmentation. Our algorithm can be employed reliably for lung field segmentation of pathologic thoracic CT images with a high accuracy, which is helpful to assist radiologists to detect the presence of pulmonary diseases and quantify its shape and size in regular clinical practices.

     

基于特征金字塔网络的肺结节检测

针对计算机断层扫描（CT）影像中肺结节尺寸变化较大、尺寸小且不规则等特点导致的检测敏感度较低的问题，提出了基于特征金字塔网络（FPN）的肺结节检测方法。首先，利用FPN提取结节的多尺度特征，并强化小目标及目标边界细节的特征；其次，在FPN的基础上设计语义分割网络（名为掩模特征金字塔网络（Mask FPN））用于快速准确地分割提取肺实质，作为目标候选区域定位图像；并且，在FPN顶层添加反卷积层，采用多尺度预测策略改进快速区域卷积神经网络（Faster R-CNN）以提高检测性能；最后，针对肺结节数据集的正负样本不平衡问题，在区域候选网络（RPN）模块采用焦点损失函数以提高结节的检出率。所提方法在公开数据集LUNA16上进行实验，结果表明，利用FPN和反卷积层改进的新网络对结节检测效果有一定的帮助，采用焦点损失函数也有一定效果。综合多种改进，当平均每个扫描件的候选结节数为46.7时，所提方法的肺结节检测敏感度指标为95.7%，与其他卷积神经网络方法如Faster R-CNN、UNet等相比，具有较高的敏感性。所提方法能够较好地提取不同尺度上的结节特征，提高CT图像肺结节检测的敏感度，同时对于较小的结节也能有效检测，能更有效地辅助肺癌的诊断治疗。     

A recursive framework for expression recognition: from web images to deep models to game dataset

In this paper, we propose a recursive framework to recognize facial expressions from images in real scenes. Unlike traditional approaches that typically focus on developing and refining algorithms for improving recognition performance on an existing dataset, we integrate three important components in a recursive manner: facial dataset generation, facial expression recognition model building, and interactive interfaces for testing and new data collection. To start with, we first create candid images for facial expression (CIFE) dataset. We then apply a convolutional neural network (CNN) to CIFE and build a CNN model for web image expression classification. In order to increase the expression recognition accuracy, we also fine-tune the CNN model and thus obtain a better CNN facial expression recognition model. Based on the fine-tuned CNN model, we design a facial expression game engine and collect a new and more balanced dataset, GaMo. The images of this dataset are collected from the different expressions our game users make when playing the game. Finally, we run yet another recursive step—a self-evaluation of the quality of the data labeling and propose a self-cleansing mechanism for improve the quality of the data. We evaluate the GaMo and CIFE datasets and show that our recursive framework can help build a better facial expression model for dealing with real scene facial expression tasks.     

基于Mask R-CNN卷积神经网络的虹膜分割

针对虹膜图像中存在眼镜遮挡、模糊、角度偏差等不同噪声因素,我们设计了一种基于Mask R-CNN的卷积神经网络(convolutional neural network, CNN),命名为Mask-INet,用于虹膜分割.该网络在特征提取阶段为特征金字塔添加了一条自底向上的路径,既提高了底层到顶层特征的定位信息,增强语义信息融合,又进一步加快了底层到顶层的传播效率,有效提升对虹膜特征提取的准确性.为了进一步挖掘特征图中的特征信息,在掩模预测分支阶段,我们引入上采样和CBAM网络(convolutional block attention module),利用上采样提高特征图的空间分辨率,利用CBAM网络让特征图中的显著信息更加显著,增强对特征的判别性.该方法在NIR-ISL 2021比赛提供的虹膜数据集进行了验证.在相同实验条件下与该赛事的冠军相比,该方法的各项指标均优于其网络.与基线Mask R-CNN相比,该方法的Dice相似系数、平均交并比、召回率分别提升了8.53%、11.97%、8.88%,提升了虹膜分割效果.     

Covid-19 classification by FGCNet with deep feature fusion from graph convolutional network and convolutional neural network

(Aim) COVID-19 is an infectious disease spreading to the world this year. In this study, we plan to develop an artificial intelligence based tool to diagnose on chest CT images.(Method) On one hand, we extract features from a self-created convolutional neural network (CNN) to learn individual image-level representations. The proposed CNN employed several new techniques such as rank-based average pooling and multiple-way data augmentation. On the other hand, relation-aware representations were learnt from graph convolutional network (GCN). Deep feature fusion (DFF) was developed in this work to fuse individual image-level features and relation-aware features from both GCN and CNN, respectively. The best model was named as FGCNet.(Results) The experiment first chose the best model from eight proposed network models, and then compared it with 15 state-of-the-art approaches.(Conclusion) The proposed FGCNet model is effective and gives better performance than all 15 state-of-the-art methods. Thus, our proposed FGCNet model can assist radiologists to rapidly detect COVID-19 from chest CT images.     

深度学习多部位病灶检测与分割

目的 多部位病灶具有大小各异和类型多样的特点,对其准确检测和分割具有一定的难度。为此,本文设计了一种2.5D深度卷积神经网络模型,实现对多种病灶类型的计算机断层扫描（computed tomography,CT）图像的病灶检测与分割。方法 利用密集卷积网络和双向特征金字塔网络组成的骨干网络提取图像中的多尺度和多维度信息,输入为带有标注的中央切片和提供空间信息的相邻切片共同组合而成的CT切片组。将融合空间信息的特征图送入区域建议网络并生成候选区域样本,再由多阈值级联网络组成的Cascade R-CNN（region convolutional neural networks）筛选高质量样本送入检测与分割分支进行训练。结果 本文模型在DeepLesion数据集上进行验证。结果表明,在测试集上的平均检测精度为83.15%,分割预测结果与真实标签的端点平均距离误差为1.27 mm,直径平均误差为1.69 mm,分割性能优于MULAN（multitask universal lesion analysis network for joint lesion detection,tagging and segmentation）和Auto RECIST（response evaluation criteria in solid tumors）,且推断每幅图像平均时间花费仅91.7 ms。结论 对于多种部位的CT图像,本文模型取得良好的检测与分割性能,并且预测时间花费较少,适用病变类别与DeepLesion数据集类似的CT图像实现病灶检测与分割。本文模型在一定程度上能满足医疗人员利用计算机分析多部位CT图像的需求。     

CT图像肺及肺病变区域分割方法综述

计算机断层扫描(computed tomography, CT)技术能为新冠肺炎(corona virus disease 2019,COVID-19)和肺癌等肺部疾病的诊断与治疗提供更全面的信息,但是由于肺部疾病的类型多样且复杂,使得对肺CT图像进行高质量的肺病变区域分割成为计算机辅助诊断的重难点问题。为了对肺CT图像的肺及肺病变区域分割方法的现状进行全面研究,本文综述了近年国内外发表的相关文献：对基于区域和活动轮廓的肺CT图像传统分割方法的优缺点进行比较与总结,传统的肺CT图像分割方法因其实现原理简单且分割速度快等优点,早期使用较多,但其存在分割精度不高的缺点,目前仍有不少基于传统方法的改进策略;重点分析了基于卷积神经网络(convolutional neural network, CNN)、全卷积网络(fully convolutional network, FCN)、U-Net和生成对抗网络(generative adversarial network, GAN)的肺CT图像分割网络结构改进模型的研究进展,基于深度学习的分割方法具有分割精度高、迁移学习能力强和鲁棒性高等优点,特...     

融合多维度卷积神经网络的肺结节分类方法

针对CT图像肺结节分类任务中分类精度低,假阳性高的问题,提出了一种加权融合多维度卷积神经网络的肺结节分类模型,该模型包含两个子模型：基于二维图像的多尺度密集卷积网络模型,以捕获更宽泛的结节变化特征并促进特征重用;基于三维图像的三维卷积神经网络模型,以充分利用结节空间上下文信息。使用二维和三维CT图像训练子模型,根据子模型分类误差计算其权重,对子模型分类结果进行加权融合,得到最终分类结果。该模型在公共数据集LIDC-IDRI上分类准确率达到94.25%,AUC值达到98%。实验结果表明,加权融合多维度模型可以有效地提升肺结节分类性能。     

融合深层特征与边缘特征的皮肤检测校正算法

当皮肤区域与非皮肤区域没有明显边界时, 皮肤检测变得更加困难. 针对这一问题, 本文提出了一种新的皮肤检测校正算法. 本文首先利用卷积神经网络分级对皮肤的颜色、纹理等特征进行提取, 通过门控卷积层对皮肤与非皮肤像素的边界区域进行细化, 以增强皮肤检测的效果, 最后利用ASPP将深层信息与边缘信息进行融合. 本文将经过阈值粗分割的检测结果作为输入, 在ECU和Pratheepan两个数据集上进行了评估, 实验结果表明, 本算法在ECU数据集上的准确率达到了91%, 在Pratheepan数据集的准确率达到了95%, 与现有方法相比, 本文算法的性能有明显的提升.