Potential of radiomics and artificial intelligence in myeloma imaging : Development of automatic, comprehensive, objective skeletal analyses from whole-body imaging data

Abstract

Multiple myeloma can affect the complete skeleton, which makes whole-body imaging necessary. With the current assessment of these complex datasets by radiologists, only asmall part of the accessible information is assessed and reported. Depending on the question and availability, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET) is performed and the results are then visually examined by radiologists. Acombination of automatic skeletal segmentation using artificial intelligence and subsequent radiomics analysis of each individual bone have the potential to provide automatic, comprehensive, and objective skeletal analyses. Afew automatic skeletal segmentation algorithms for CT already show promising results. In addition, first studies indicate correlations between radiomics features of bone and bone marrow with established disease markers and therapy response. Artificial intelligence (AI) and radiomics algorithms for automatic skeletal analysis from whole-body imaging are currently in an early phase of development.