Feature Selection and Performance Evaluation of Support Vector Machine (SVM)-Based Classifier for Differentiating Benign and Malignant Pulmonary Nodules by Computed Tomography

There are lots of work being done to develop computer-assisted diagnosis and detection (CAD) technologies and systems to improve the diagnostic quality for pulmonary nodules. Another way to improve accuracy of diagnosis on new images is to recall or find images with similar features from archived historical images which already have confirmed diagnostic results, and the content-based image retrieval (CBIR) technology has been proposed for this purpose. In this paper, we present a method to find and select texture features of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) detected by computed tomography (CT) and evaluate the performance of support vector machine (SVM)-based classifiers in differentiating benign from malignant SPNs. Seventy-seven biopsy-confirmed CT cases of SPNs were included in this study. A total of 67 features were extracted by a feature extraction procedure, and around 25 features were finally selected after 300 genetic generations. We constructed the SVM-based classifier with the selected features and evaluated the performance of the classifier by comparing the classification results of the SVM-based classifier with six senior radiologists′ observations. The evaluation results not only showed that most of the selected features are characteristics frequently considered by radiologists and used in CAD analyses previously reported in classifying SPNs, but also indicated that some newly found features have important contribution in differentiating benign from malignant SPNs in SVM-based feature space. The results of this research can be used to build the highly efficient feature index of a CBIR system for CT images with pulmonary nodules.     

基于PET/CT图像纹理参数的肺结节诊断模型

目的基于PET/CT融合图像纹理参数建立肺结节良恶性诊断模型,提高肺癌的识别率。方法选取宣武医院核医学科经PET/CT检查的52例肺结节患者,收集其PET/CT影像图像及人口学、影像学信息。以Contourlet变换和灰度共生矩阵相结合的方式,对PET/CT图像的感兴趣区域提取纹理参数。基于所提取的纹理参数建立支持向量机模型,得到每个肺结节良恶性判别结果。为了提高模型的诊断效果,将结节边缘、最大摄取值、有晕征等影像学信息也纳入模型,重新建立支持向量机模型。通过灵敏度、特异度、正确率等指标对模型诊断效果进行评价。结果纹理参数肺结节诊断模型的灵敏度、特异度分别为90.7%、93.5%,纹理参数结合影像学信息的肺结节诊断模型的灵敏度、特异度分别为95.7%、100.0%。结论基于PET/CT图像纹理参数建立的支持向量机模型对良恶性肺结节具有较好的鉴别诊断效果。     

良恶性肺小结节CT图像基于灰度共生矩阵10种纹理特征研究

目的 建立多水平模型研究良恶性肺小结节CT图像的灰度共生矩阵纹理特征,更好地描述肺小结节CT图像,达到辅助肺小结节鉴别的目的.方法 对185例2171张肺小结节CT图像基于灰度共生矩阵提取10个纹理特征,拟合多水平统计模型分析良恶性CT图像的纹理特征的差异.结果 在考虑患者水平的基础上能量、惯性矩等8个纹理特征,在良恶性肺小结节的CT图像间的差异有统计学意义.结论 基于灰度共生矩阵的一些纹理特征是反应肺小结节CT图像良恶性的有效特征参量,在一定程度上有助于早期肺癌的鉴别诊断.     

基于CT图像的肺结节计算机辅助诊断系统

本文介绍了一种基于CT图像的肺结节计算机辅助自动诊断系统。我们将肺结节的自动检测分为肺实质的提取、感兴趣区域（ROI）的分割和ROI特征参数提取及分类判别几个步骤。该系统能够在对肺部CT图像进行自动分析后给医生提示出可疑肺结节，从而提高了医疗诊断效率。     

Computerized scheme for determination of the likelihood measure of malignancy for pulmonary nodules on low-dose CT images

An automated computerized scheme has been developed for determination of the likelihood measure of malignancy of pulmonary nodules on low-dose helical CT (LDCT) images. Our database consisted of 76 primary lung cancers (147 slices) and 413 benign nodules (576 slices). With this automated computerized scheme, the location of a nodule was first indicated by a radiologist. The outline of the nodule was segmented automatically by use of a dynamic programming technique. Various objective features on the nodules were determined by use of outline analysis and image analysis, and the likelihood measure of malignancy was determined by use of linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The effect of many different combinations of features and the performance of LDA in distinguishing benign nodules from malignant ones were evaluated by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The Az value (area under the ROC curve) obtained by the computerized scheme in distinguishing benign nodules from malignant ones was 0.828 when a single slice was employed for each of the nodules. However, the Az value was improved to 0.846 when multiple slices were used for determination of the likelihood measure of malignancy. The Az values obtained by the computerized scheme on LDCT images were significantly greater than the Az value of 0.70, which was obtained from our previous observer studies by radiologists in distinguishing benign nodules from malignant ones on LDCT images. The automated computerized scheme for determination of the likelihood measure of malignancy would be useful in assisting radiologists to distinguish between benign and malignant pulmonary nodules on LDCT images.     

A pattern classification approach to characterizing solitary pulmonary nodules imaged on high resolution CT: preliminary results.

The purpose of this research is to characterize solitary pulmonary nodules as benign or malignant based on quantitative measures extracted from high resolution CT (HRCT) images. High resolution CT images of 31 patients with solitary pulmonary nodules and definitive diagnoses were obtained. The diagnoses of these 31 cases (14 benign and 17 malignant) were determined from either radiologic follow-up or pathological specimens. Software tools were developed to perform the classification task. On the HRCT images, solitary nodules were identified using semiautomated contouring techniques. From the resulting contours, several quantitative measures were extracted related to each nodule's size, shape, attenuation, distribution of attenuation, and texture. A stepwise discriminant analysis was performed to determine which combination of measures were best able to discriminate between the benign and malignant nodules. A linear discriminant analysis was then performed using selected features to evaluate the ability of these features to predict the classification for each nodule. A jackknifed procedure was performed to provide a less biased estimate of the linear discriminator's performance. The preliminary discriminant analysis identified two different texture measures--correlation and difference entropy--as the top features in discriminating between benign and malignant nodules. The linear discriminant analysis using these features correctly classified 28/31 cases (90.3%) of the training set. A less biased estimate, using jackknifed training and testing, yielded the same results (90.3% correct). The preliminary results of this approach are very promising in characterizing solitary nodules using quantitative measures extracted from HRCT images. Future work involves including contrast enhancement and three-dimensional measures extracted from volumetric CT scans, as well as the use of several pattern classifiers.     

Computerized detection of breast masses in digitized mammograms

We propose a system to detect malignant masses on mammograms. We investigated the behavior of an iris filter at different scales. After iris filter was applied, suspicious regions were segmented by means of an adaptive threshold. Suspected regions were characterized with features based on the iris filter output and, gray level, texture, contour-related, and morphological features extracted from the image. A backpropagation neural network classifier was trained to reduce the number of false positives. The system was developed and evaluated with two completely independent data sets. Results for a test set of 66 malignant and 49 normal cases, evaluated with free-response receiver operating characteristic analysis, yielded a sensitivity of 88% and 94% at 1.02 false positives per image for lesion-based and case-based evaluation, respectively. Results suggest that the proposed method could help radiologists as a second reader in mammographic screening.     

A Segmentation Framework of Pulmonary Nodules in Lung CT Images

Accurate segmentation of pulmonary nodules is a prerequisite for acceptable performance of computer-aided detection (CAD) system designed for diagnosis of lung cancer from lung CT images. Accurate segmentation helps to improve the quality of machine level features which could improve the performance of the CAD system. The well-circumscribed solid nodules can be segmented using thresholding, but segmentation becomes difficult for part-solid, non-solid, and solid nodules attached with pleura or vessels. We proposed a segmentation framework for all types of pulmonary nodules based on internal texture (solid/part-solid and non-solid) and external attachment (juxta-pleural and juxta-vascular). In the proposed framework, first pulmonary nodules are categorized into solid/part-solid and non-solid category by analyzing intensity distribution in the core of the nodule. Two separate segmentation methods are developed for solid/part-solid and non-solid nodules, respectively. After determining the category of nodule, the particular algorithm is set to remove attached pleural surface and vessels from the nodule body. The result of segmentation is evaluated in terms of four contour-based metrics and six region-based metrics for 891 pulmonary nodules from Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC/IDRI) public database. The experimental result shows that the proposed segmentation framework is reliable for segmentation of various types of pulmonary nodules with improved accuracy compared to existing segmentation methods.     

基于尺寸自适应深度神经网络的胸部CT图像肺结节检测

使用计算机断层扫描(CT)筛查肺结节是早期肺癌诊断的重要手段.但由于肺结节在形状、大小和位置上有存在很大的差异,目前肺结节尤其是小结节的自动检测依然具有挑战性.为了实现高灵敏度的肺结节检测,提出一种新的计算机辅助检测系统,该系统采用两种新的策略:尺寸自适应候选检测(SACD)和尺寸自适应假阳性抑制(SAFPR).首先,...     

Lung nodule detection in low-dose and thin-slice computed tomography

A computer-aided detection (CAD) system for the identification of small pulmonary nodules in low-dose and thin-slice CT scans has been developed. The automated procedure for selecting the nodule candidates is mainly based on a filter enhancing spherical-shaped objects. A neural approach based on the classification of each single voxel of a nodule candidate has been purposely developed and implemented to reduce the amount of false-positive findings per scan. The CAD system has been trained to be sensitive to small internal and sub-pleural pulmonary nodules collected in a database of low-dose and thin-slice CT scans. The system performance has been evaluated on a data set of 39 CT containing 75 internal and 27 sub-pleural nodules. The FROC curve obtained on this data set shows high values of sensitivity to lung nodules (80-85% range) at an acceptable level of false positive findings per patient (10-13 FP/scan).     

基于肺部PET/CT图像不同纹理特征的K最近邻分类器

目的对PET/CT图像高维纹理参数进行降维,基于不同纹理参数建立肺结节良恶性的K最近邻(K-nearest neighbor,KNN)分类器,探究最佳建模方法,提高分类的准确率。方法采用回顾性研究的方式,收集52例首都医科大学宣武医院核医学科肺结节患者的PET/CT图像,对图像的感兴趣区域基于Contourlet变换提取灰度共生矩阵的纹理参数。对肺结节PET/CT图像的纹理参数首先采用单因素分析的方法,根据ROC曲线下面积筛选纹理参数,再对其进行主成分分析提取主要成分。基于主成分、根据ROC曲线筛选的纹理及原始纹理分别采用K最近邻分类算法建立肺结节良恶性的分类器,通过正确率、灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值(positive predictive value,PPV)、阴性预测值(negative predictive value,NPV)、ROC曲线下面积(area under curve,AUC)这些指标评价分类效果。结果 PET/CT图像共提取1344个原始纹理参数,经单因素分析后筛选出89个纹理参数,对筛选后的纹理共提取11个主成分。基于主成分、筛选纹理、原始纹理的分类模型正确率分别为0.614、0.579、0.263;AUC分别为0.645、0.610、0.515。结论在主成分纹理、单因素分析筛选的纹理、原始纹理中,基于主成分纹理建立K最近邻分类器的效果最好。     

Synergistic combination of clinical and imaging features predicts abnormal imaging patterns of pulmonary infections

We designed and tested a novel hybrid statistical model that accepts radiologic image features and clinical variables, and integrates this information in order to automatically predict abnormalities in chest computed-tomography (CT) scans and identify potentially important infectious disease biomarkers. In 200 patients, 160 with various pulmonary infections and 40 healthy controls, we extracted 34 clinical variables from laboratory tests and 25 textural features from CT images. From the CT scans, pleural effusion (PE), linear opacity (or thickening) (LT), tree-in-bud (TIB), pulmonary nodules, ground glass opacity (GGO), and consolidation abnormality patterns were analyzed and predicted through clinical, textural (imaging), or combined attributes. The presence and severity of each abnormality pattern was validated by visual analysis of the CT scans. The proposed biomarker identification system included two important steps: (i) a coarse identification of an abnormal imaging pattern by adaptively selected features (AmRMR), and (ii) a fine selection of the most important features from the previous step, and assigning them as biomarkers, depending on the prediction accuracy. Selected biomarkers were used to classify normal and abnormal patterns by using a boosted decision tree (BDT) classifier. For all abnormal imaging patterns, an average prediction accuracy of 76.15% was obtained. Experimental results demonstrated that our proposed biomarker identification approach is promising and may advance the data processing in clinical pulmonary infection research and diagnostic techniques.     

基于深度学习结合解剖学注意力机制的肺结节良恶性分类

肺结节作为肺癌的初期表现,及时的发现和准确的良恶性诊断对于疾病的治疗具有重要的意义。为了提高肺部CT图像中肺结节良恶性的诊断率,提出一种基于3D ResNet的卷积神经网络,并通过加入解剖学注意力模块有效地提高了肺结节良恶性的分类精度。此外,该方法通过自动分割以获取注意力机制所需的感兴趣区域,实现整个流程的全自动化。解剖学注意力的添加能更好地捕捉图像中的局部纹理信息,进一步提取对于肺结节良恶性诊断有用的特征。本文方法在LIDC-IDRI数据集上进行验证。实验结果表明与传统的3D ResNet及其他现有的方法相比,本文方法在分类精度上有显著的提高,在独立测试集上的最终分类的AUC达到0.973,准确率为0.940。由此可见,本文方法能在辅助医生对肺结节的诊断中起到重要作用。     

Automated computerized scheme for distinction between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules on chest images

A novel automated computerized scheme has been developed to assist radiologists for their distinction between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules on chest images. Our database consisted of 55 chest radiographs (33 primary lung cancers and 22 benign nodules). In this method, the location of a nodule was indicated first by a radiologist. The difference image with a nodule was produced by use of filters and then represented in a polar coordinate system. The nodule was segmented automatically by analysis of contour lines of the gray-level distribution based on the polar-coordinate representation. Two clinical parameters (age and sex) and 75 image features were determined from the outline, the image, and histogram analysis for inside and outside regions of the segmented nodule. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and knowledge about benign and malignant nodules were used to select initial feature combinations. Many combinations for subgroups of 77 features were evaluated as input to artificial neural networks (ANNs). The performance of ANNs with the selected 7 features by use of the round-robin test showed Az = 0.872, which was greater than Az = 0.854 obtained previously with the manual method (P= 0.53). The performance of LDA (Az = 0.886) was slightly improved compared to that of ANNs (P = 0.59) and was greater than that of the manual method (Az = 0.854) reported previously (P = 0.40). The high level of its performance indicates the potential usefulness of this automated computerized scheme in assisting radiologists as a second opinion for distinction between benign and malignant solitary pulmonary nodules on chest images.     

原发性肺癌孤立性结节的自动提取

研究自动分割和提取原发性肺癌肺部孤立性结节(SPN)特征的方法。对CT图像进行预处理后，首先分割出肺实质，然后用模糊C均值聚类方法对肺实质图像作进一步地细分割，提取感兴趣区域(ROI)，最后根据分形理论计算出分形维数结合灰度方差供分类判决。结果表明此方法能够有效地自动识别SPN。     

基于小波变换结合其他预处理方法的周围型早期肺癌CT图像增强研究

探讨增强早期肺癌CT图像的方法.采用小波变换增强图像细节的方法,根据图像特点,同时结合对比度自适应直方图均衡化或(和)自适应滤波去噪法,对10位早期周围型肺癌患者的50张CT图像进行增强.结果表明,处理后图像中肺内结节的边缘锐利、内部密度清晰、周围征象(如胸膜凹陷征等)清楚;各组织器官边缘清晰、层次明显,肺纹理清晰度增加.尤其是低对比度图像,处理后图像质量有较明显提高.基于小波变换结合其他预处理方法,对早期肺癌的CT图像进行增强,可为同类研究提供一定的参考.     

基于Local Jet变换空间纹理特征的肺结节分类方法

为了在纹理特征下改善肺结节良、恶性的模式识别,提出一种基于local jet变换空间的纹理特征提取方法。首先利用二维高斯函数的前三阶偏微分函数将结节原图像变换到local jet纹理图像空间,然后利用纹理描述子在该空间提取特征参数。以灰度值的前四阶矩和基于灰度共生矩阵的特征参数作为纹理描述子,分别提取结节原图像和变换后纹理图像的特征参数,以BP神经网络作为分类器,对同一纹理描述子下的2个不同图像空间的经核主成分分析优化后的特征参数集进行结节良、恶性分类。以157个肺结节(51个良性,106个恶性)作为实验数据进行对比实验,结果显示:两种纹理描述子基于local jet变换空间提取的特征参数分别获得82.69%和86.54%的分类正确率,较原图像空间提高6%～8%,同时AUC值提高约10%。实验结果表明,基于local jet变换空间提取的纹理特征可以有效地改善肺结节良、恶性的模式识别。     

能谱CT在肺部磨玻璃结节良恶性鉴别中的应用价值

【摘 要】 目的:探讨肺混合性磨玻璃结节能谱计算机断层扫描成像（CT）特异性征象,通过对各种结节成分和征象的分析对肺微浸润癌（MIA）、浸润性腺癌（IPA）及肺结核腺泡结节（AN）进行鉴别诊断。 方法:回顾性分析156例肺混合磨玻璃结节及肺结核腺泡结节患者的能谱CT扫描图像及临床资料,并结合病理结果进行对比讨论。 结果:156例患者共有221个结节,均经过手术及送病理检查,包括62个MIA、76个IPA、78个AN、3个硬化性血管瘤及2个炎性假瘤。其中,MIA组结节CT值较低,约为（-221±101） HU,其征象主要为空泡征,占45.16％;IPA组CT值较MIA组高,约为（-102±54） HU,主要征象为分叶征,占47.36％;AN组CT值最高,约为（-40±27） HU,CT征象结节边缘平滑,占70.51％。3组病例CT值及CT征象存在统计学差异（P<0.05）。 结论:能谱CT形态学特征能在一定程度上鉴别MIA、IPA及AN,为临床早期诊疗不同疾病提供相关依据。     

基于Curvelet变换的肺结节CT图像良恶性分类研究

目的早期肺癌患者的CT图像表现为结节状（在肺野内直径≤3cm的病灶），需要与结核球等良性病变鉴别开，以提高患者的5年生存率。方法本文基于Curvelet变换提取能量、熵、灰度均值及灰度标准差四种纹理特征值，按7：3比例将样本分为训练集与验证集。使用BP（back propagation）神经网络作为分类器。每一种纹理参数测试集的神经网络仿真值结合病理诊断结果绘制受试者工作特征曲线（receiver operator characteristic cllrve，ROC曲线），根据ROC下面积得到最优的几种纹理参数用于良恶性分类，并将分类结果与病理诊断结果进行比较。结果四种纹理参数构建的BP网络均具有诊断价值，每种纹理参数诊断价值各不相同，其中熵与灰度标准差的诊断价值优于能量与灰度均值，并且通过组合多种纹理参数可以提高诊断准确性。结论使用熵与灰度标准差两种纹理特征值构建BP神经网络能达到最好的分类效果，在一定程度上有利于肺癌的早期诊断。