Medical Image Analysis Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Machine-Learning Model Performance in Image Analysis: The Impact of Dataset Diversity and Size.

This study presents an analysis of machine-learning model performance in image analysis, with a specific focus on videolaryngoscopy procedures. The research aimed to explore how dataset diversity and size affect the performance of machine-learning models, an issue vital to the advancement of clinical artificial intelligence tools. A total of 377 videolaryngoscopy videos from YouTube were used to create 6 varied datasets, each differing in patient diversity and image count. The study also incorporates data augmentation techniques to enhance these datasets further. Two machine-learning models, YOLOv5-Small and YOLOv8-Small, were trained and evaluated on metrics such as F1 score (a statistical measure that combines the precision and recall of the model into a single metric, reflecting its overall accuracy), precision, recall, mAP@50, and mAP@50-95. The findings indicate a significant impact of dataset configuration on model performance, especially the balance between diversity and quantity. The Multi-25 × 10 dataset, featuring 25 images from 10 different patients, demonstrates superior performance, highlighting the value of a well-balanced dataset. The study also finds that the effects of data augmentation vary across different types of datasets. Overall, this study emphasizes the critical role of dataset structure in the performance of machine-learning models in medical image analysis. It underscores the necessity of striking an optimal balance between dataset size and diversity, thereby illuminating the complexities inherent in data-driven machine-learning development.

On the applications of neural ordinary differential equations in medical image analysis

Medical image analysis tasks are characterized by high-noise, volumetric, and multi-modality, posing challenges for the model that attempts to learn robust features from the input images. Over the last decade, deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved enormous success in medical image analysis tasks, which can be attributed to their powerful feature representation capability. Despite the promising results reported in numerous literature, DNNs are also criticized for several pivotal limits, with one of the limitations is lack of safety. Safety plays an important role in the applications of DNNs during clinical practice, helping the model defend against potential attacks and preventing the model from silent failure prediction. The recently proposed neural ordinary differential equation (NODE), a continuous model bridging the gap between DNNs and ODE, provides a significant advantage in ensuring the model’s safety. Among the variants of NODE, the neural memory ordinary differential equation (nmODE) owns the global attractor theoretically, exhibiting superiority in prompting the model’s performance and robustness during applications. While NODE and its variants have been widely used in medical image analysis tasks, there is a lack of a comprehensive review of their applications, hindering the in-depth understanding of NODE’s working principle and its potential applications. To mitigate this limitation, this paper thoroughly reviews the literature on the applications of NODE in medical image analysis from the following five aspects: segmentation, reconstruction, registration, disease prediction, and data generation. We also summarize both the strengths and downsides of the applications of NODE, followed by the possible research directions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review regards the applications of NODE in the field of medical image analysis. We hope this review can draw the researchers’ attention to the great potential of NODE and its variants in medical image analysis.

A Gastrointestinal Image Classification Method Based on Improved Adam Algorithm

In this study, a gastrointestinal image classification method based on the improved Adam algorithm is proposed. Gastrointestinal image classification is of great significance in the field of medical image analysis, but it presents numerous challenges, including slow convergence, susceptibility to local minima, and the complexity and imbalance of medical image data. Although the Adam algorithm is widely used in stochastic gradient descent, it tends to suffer from overfitting and gradient explosion issues when dealing with complex data. To address these problems, this paper proposes an improved Adam algorithm, AdamW_AGC, which combines the weight decay and Adaptive Gradient Clipping (AGC) strategies. Weight decay is a common regularization technique used to prevent machine learning models from overfitting. Adaptive gradient clipping avoids the gradient explosion problem by restricting the gradient to a suitable range and helps accelerate the convergence of the optimization process. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, we conducted experiments on the HyperKvasir dataset and validation experiments on the MNIST and CIFAR10 standard datasets. Experimental results on the HyperKvasir dataset demonstrate that the improved algorithm achieved a classification accuracy of 75.8%, compared to 74.2% for the traditional Adam algorithm, representing an improvement of 1.6%. Furthermore, validation experiments on the MNIST and CIFAR10 datasets resulted in classification accuracies of 98.69% and 71.7%, respectively. These results indicate that the AdamW_AGC algorithm has advantages in handling complex, high-dimensional medical image classification tasks, effectively improving both classification accuracy and training stability. This study provides new ideas and expansions for future optimizer research.

Multistage transfer learning for medical images

Deep learning is revolutionizing various domains and significantly impacting medical image analysis. Despite notable progress, numerous challenges remain, necessitating the refinement of deep learning algorithms for optimal performance in medical image analysis. This paper explores the growing demand for precise and robust medical image analysis by focusing on an advanced deep learning technique, multistage transfer learning. Over the past decade, multistage transfer learning has emerged as a pivotal strategy, particularly in overcoming challenges associated with limited medical data and model generalization. However, the absence of well-compiled literature capturing this development remains a notable gap in the field. This exhaustive investigation endeavors to address this gap by providing a foundational understanding of how multistage transfer learning approaches confront the unique challenges posed by insufficient medical image datasets. The paper offers a detailed analysis of various multistage transfer learning types, architectures, methodologies, and strategies deployed in medical image analysis. Additionally, it delves into intrinsic challenges within this framework, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state while outlining potential directions for advancing methodologies in future research. This paper underscores the transformative potential of multistage transfer learning in medical image analysis, providing valuable guidance to researchers and healthcare professionals.

Advancing Accuracy in Multimodal Medical Tasks Through Bootstrapped Language-Image Pretraining (BioMedBLIP): Performance Evaluation Study.

Medical image analysis, particularly in the context of visual question answering (VQA) and image captioning, is crucial for accurate diagnosis and educational purposes. Our study aims to introduce BioMedBLIP models, fine-tuned for VQA tasks using specialized medical data sets such as Radiology Objects in Context and Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Chest X-ray, and evaluate their performance in comparison to the state of the art (SOTA) original Bootstrapping Language-Image Pretraining (BLIP) model. We present 9 versions of BioMedBLIP across 3 downstream tasks in various data sets. The models are trained on a varying number of epochs. The findings indicate the strong overall performance of our models. We proposed BioMedBLIP for the VQA generation model, VQA classification model, and BioMedBLIP image caption model. We conducted pretraining in BLIP using medical data sets, producing an adapted BLIP model tailored for medical applications. In VQA generation tasks, BioMedBLIP models outperformed the SOTA on the Semantically-Labeled Knowledge-Enhanced (SLAKE) data set, VQA in Radiology (VQA-RAD), and Image Cross-Language Evaluation Forum data sets. In VQA classification, our models consistently surpassed the SOTA on the SLAKE data set. Our models also showed competitive performance on the VQA-RAD and PathVQA data sets. Similarly, in image captioning tasks, our model beat the SOTA, suggesting the importance of pretraining with medical data sets. Overall, in 20 different data sets and task combinations, our BioMedBLIP excelled in 15 (75%) out of 20 tasks. BioMedBLIP represents a new SOTA in 15 (75%) out of 20 tasks, and our responses were rated higher in all 20 tasks (P<.005) in comparison to SOTA models. Our BioMedBLIP models show promising performance and suggest that incorporating medical knowledge through pretraining with domain-specific medical data sets helps models achieve higher performance. Our models thus demonstrate their potential to advance medical image analysis, impacting diagnosis, medical education, and research. However, data quality, task-specific variability, computational resources, and ethical considerations should be carefully addressed. In conclusion, our models represent a contribution toward the synergy of artificial intelligence and medicine. We have made BioMedBLIP freely available, which will help in further advancing research in multimodal medical tasks.

A Robust Deep Learning Model for Brain Tumor Detection and Classification Using Efficient Net: A Brief Meta-Analysis

Accurately detecting and classifying brain tumors’, is critical for timely diagnosis and effective treatment planning. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive examination utilizing the EfficientNet family of deep learning architectures to automatically identify and categorize three forms of brain tumors from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The primary aim of the study is to assess the performance of different EfficientNet models (ranging from EfficientNet-B0 to EfficientNet-B7) and determine their capability to achieve high accuracy in brain tumor classification. In the implementation, a diverse dataset is compiled comprising approximately 18,500 MRI images, representing various types of brain tumors. EfficientNet models are trained, validated, and tested using a combination of Softmax and ReLU activation functions, along with the Adam optimizer by employing learning rates of 0.0005 and 0.00001 for model training and optimization. The experimental results underscore the significant potential of the EfficientNet family in brain tumor classification. The findings reveal a consistent improvement in tumor detection accuracy as model complexity increases. The attained accuracies for different EfficientNet models are; 96.07% (EfficientNet-B0), 97.86% (EfficientNet-B1), 98.21% (EfficientNet-B2), 97.86% (EfficientNet-B3), 98.93% (EfficientNet-B4), 99.64% (EfficientNet-B5), 98.57% (EfficientNet-B6), and 99.64% (EfficientNet-B7), respectively. The proposed research not only validates the efficiency of the EfficientNet architecture in classifying brain tumors but also offers valuable insights into how model complexity influences classification performance. The notably high accuracy rates emphasize the clinical promise of employing deep learning methods to aid radiologists and medical experts in precise and efficient brain tumor diagnosis. Additionally, the paper's scope adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding the application of deep learning techniques to enhance medical image analysis and diagnostic capabilities.

JOSA: Joint surface-based registration and atlas construction of brain geometry and function

Surface-based cortical registration is an important topic in medical image analysis and facilitates many downstream applications. Current approaches for cortical registration are mainly driven by geometric features, such as sulcal depth and curvature, and often assume that registration of folding patterns leads to alignment of brain function. However, functional variability of anatomically corresponding areas across subjects has been widely reported, particularly in higher-order cognitive areas. In this work, we present JOSA, a novel cortical registration framework that jointly models the mismatch between geometry and function while simultaneously learning an unbiased population-specific atlas. Using a semi-supervised training strategy, JOSA achieves superior registration performance in both geometry and function to the state-of-the-art methods but without requiring functional data at inference. This learning framework can be extended to any auxiliary data to guide spherical registration that is available during training but is difficult or impossible to obtain during inference, such as parcellations, architectonic identity, transcriptomic information, and molecular profiles. By recognizing the mismatch between geometry and function, JOSA provides new insights into the future development of registration methods using joint analysis of brain structure and function.

IMAML-IDCG: Optimization-based meta-learning with ImageNet feature reusing for few-shot invasive ductal carcinoma grading

Model-Agnostic Meta-Learning (MAML) is a widely used few-shot learning (FSL) technique that reduces reliance on large, labeled datasets in deep learning for medical imaging analysis. However, MAML requires backpropagating through all feature layers for task adaptation, leading to suboptimal computational efficiency. We propose IMAML-IDCG (ImageNet Model-Agnostic Meta-Learning in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Grading), which enhances computational efficiency for few-shot grading of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) through three key techniques: (1) ImageNet feature reusing, (2) ImageNet partial freezing strategy, and (3) adaptive inner learning rate. IMAML-IDCG is initialized with ImageNet pre-trained weights. During the inner optimization loop, only the model’s classifier head layer is optimized, leveraging prior ImageNet knowledge (ImageNet feature reusing) and employing an adaptive learning rate for improved task adaptation. In the outer optimization loop, IMAML-IDCG selectively fine-tunes the last few model layers to enhance efficiency and reduce overfitting (ImageNet partial freezing strategy). We evaluated IMAML-IDCG using the BreaKHis dataset (7,909 images) as the base dataset, and the BCHI (282 images) and PathoIDCG (3,744 images) datasets as the novel datasets. Our empirical results demonstrate that IMAML-IDCG outperforms MAML and other FSL methods in few-shot IDC grading tasks across various cross-magnification domain settings. Notably, IMAML-IDCG achieves a 14.64% improvement over MAML on the BCHI dataset and a 6.04% improvement on the PathoIDCG 40X dataset when meta-trained with the BreaKHis 40X dataset in the 3-way 5-shot scenario.

Comparative analysis of vision transformers and convolutional neural networks in osteoporosis detection from X-ray images

Within the scope of this investigation, we carried out experiments to investigate the potential of the Vision Transformer (ViT) in the field of medical image analysis. The diagnosis of osteoporosis through inspection of X-ray radio-images is a substantial classification problem that we were able to address with the assistance of Vision Transformer models. In order to provide a basis for comparison, we conducted a parallel analysis in which we sought to solve the same problem by employing traditional convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which are well-known and commonly used techniques for the solution of image categorization issues. The findings of our research led us to conclude that ViT is capable of achieving superior outcomes compared to CNN. Furthermore, provided that methods have access to a sufficient quantity of training data, the probability increases that both methods arrive at more appropriate solutions to critical issues.

Exploring Publicly Accessible Optical Coherence Tomography Datasets: A Comprehensive Overview.

Artificial intelligence has transformed medical diagnostic capabilities, particularly through medical image analysis. AI algorithms perform well in detecting abnormalities with a strong performance, enabling computer-aided diagnosis by analyzing the extensive amounts of patient data. The data serve as a foundation upon which algorithms learn and make predictions. Thus, the importance of data cannot be underestimated, and clinically corresponding datasets are required. Many researchers face a lack of medical data due to limited access, privacy concerns, or the absence of available annotations. One of the most widely used diagnostic tools in ophthalmology is Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). Addressing the data availability issue is crucial for enhancing AI applications in the field of OCT diagnostics. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of all publicly accessible retinal OCT datasets. Our main objective is to compile a list of OCT datasets and their properties, which can serve as an accessible reference, facilitating data curation for medical image analysis tasks. For this review, we searched through the Zenodo repository, Mendeley Data repository, MEDLINE database, and Google Dataset search engine. We systematically evaluated all the identified datasets and found 23 open-access datasets containing OCT images, which significantly vary in terms of size, scope, and ground-truth labels. Our findings indicate the need for improvement in data-sharing practices and standardized documentation. Enhancing the availability and quality of OCT datasets will support the development of AI algorithms and ultimately improve diagnostic capabilities in ophthalmology. By providing a comprehensive list of accessible OCT datasets, this review aims to facilitate better utilization and development of AI in medical image analysis.

SkinNet-14: a deep learning framework for accurate skin cancer classification using low-resolution dermoscopy images with optimized training time

The increasing incidence of skin cancer necessitates advancements in early detection methods, where deep learning can be beneficial. This study introduces SkinNet-14, a novel deep learning model designed to classify skin cancer types using low-resolution dermoscopy images. Unlike existing models that require high-resolution images and extensive training times, SkinNet-14 leverages a modified compact convolutional transformer (CCT) architecture to effectively process 32 × 32 pixel images, significantly reducing the computational load and training duration. The framework employs several image preprocessing and augmentation strategies to enhance input image quality and balance the dataset to address class imbalances in medical datasets. The model was tested on three distinct datasets—HAM10000, ISIC and PAD—demonstrating high performance with accuracies of 97.85%, 96.00% and 98.14%, respectively, while significantly reducing the training time to 2–8 s per epoch. Compared to traditional transfer learning models, SkinNet-14 not only improves accuracy but also ensures stability even with smaller training sets. This research addresses a critical gap in automated skin cancer detection, specifically in contexts with limited resources, and highlights the capabilities of transformer-based models that are efficient in medical image analysis.

Using diffusion models to generate synthetic labeled data for medical image segmentation.

Medical image analysis has become a prominent area where machine learning has been applied. However, high-quality, publicly available data are limited either due to patient privacy laws or the time and cost required for experts to annotate images. In this retrospective study, we designed and evaluated a pipeline to generate synthetic labeled polyp images for augmenting medical image segmentation models with the aim of reducing this data scarcity. We trained diffusion models on the HyperKvasir dataset, comprising 1000 images of polyps in the human GI tract from 2008 to 2016. Qualitative expert review, Fréchet Inception Distance (FID), and Multi-Scale Structural Similarity (MS-SSIM) were tested for evaluation. Additionally, various segmentation models were trained with the generated data and evaluated using Dice score (DS) and Intersection over Union (IoU). Our pipeline produced images more akin to real polyp images based on FID scores. Segmentation model performance also showed improvements over GAN methods when trained entirely, or partially, with synthetic data, despite requiring less compute for training. Moreover, the improvement persists when tested on different datasets, showcasing the transferability of the generated images. The proposed pipeline produced realistic image and mask pairs which could reduce the need for manual data annotation when performing a machine learning task. We support this use case by showing that the methods proposed in this study enhanced segmentation model performance, as measured by Dice and IoU scores, when trained fully or partially on synthetic data.

Explainable artificial intelligence for spectroscopy data: a review.

Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has gained significant attention in various domains, including natural and medical image analysis. However, its application in spectroscopy remains relatively unexplored. This systematic review aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of XAI in spectroscopy and identifying potential benefits and challenges associated with its implementation. Following the PRISMA guideline 2020, we conducted a systematic search across major journal databases, resulting in 259 initial search results. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 scientific studies were included in this review. Notably, most of the studies focused on using XAI methods for spectral data analysis, emphasizing identifying significant spectral bands rather than specific intensity peaks. Among the most utilized AI techniques were SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), masking methods inspired by Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), and Class Activation Mapping (CAM). These methods were favored due to their model-agnostic nature and ease of use, enabling interpretable explanations without modifying the original models. Future research should propose new methods and explore the adaptation of other XAI employed in other domains to better suit the unique characteristics of spectroscopic data.

Development of deep learning model for diagnosing muscle-invasive bladder cancer on MRI with vision transformer

Rationale and objectivesTo develop and validate a deep learning (DL) model to automatically diagnose muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) on MRI with Vision Transformer (ViT). Materials and methodsThis multicenter retrospective study included patients with BC who reported to two institutions between January 2016 and June 2020 (training dataset) and a third institution between May 2017 and May 2022 (test dataset). The diagnostic model for MIBC and the segmentation model for BC on MRI were developed using the training dataset with 5-fold cross-validation. ViT- and convolutional neural network (CNN)-based diagnostic models were developed and compared for diagnostic performance using the area under the curve (AUC). The performance of the diagnostic model with manual and auto-generated regions of interest (ROImanual and ROIauto, respectively) was validated on the test dataset and compared to that of radiologists (three senior and three junior radiologists) using Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System scoring. ResultsThe training and test datasets included 170 and 53 patients, respectively. Mean AUC of the top 10 ViT-based models with 5-fold cross-validation outperformed those of the CNN-based models (0.831 ± 0.003 vs. 0.713 ± 0.007–0.812 ± 0.006, p < .001). The diagnostic model with ROImanual achieved AUC of 0.872 (95 % CI: 0.777, 0.968), which was comparable to that of junior radiologists (AUC = 0.862, 0.873, and 0.930). Semi-automated diagnosis with the diagnostic model with ROIauto achieved AUC of 0.815 (95 % CI: 0.696, 0.935). ConclusionThe DL model effectively diagnosed MIBC. The ViT-based model outperformed CNN-based models, highlighting its utility in medical image analysis.

HiSEG: Human assisted instance segmentation

Instance segmentation is a form of image detection which has a range of applications, such as object refinement, medical image analysis, and image/video editing, all of which demand a high degree of accuracy. However, this precision is often beyond the reach of what even state-of-the-art, fully automated instance segmentation algorithms can deliver. The performance gap becomes particularly prohibitive for small and complex objects. Practitioners typically resort to fully manual annotation, which can be a laborious process. In order to overcome this problem, we propose a novel approach to enable more precise predictions and generate higher-quality segmentation masks for high-curvature, complex and small-scale objects. Our human-assisted segmentation method, HiSEG, augments the existing Strong Mask R-CNN network to incorporate human-specified partial boundaries. We also present a dataset of hand-drawn partial object boundaries, which we refer to as “human attention maps”. In addition, the Partial Sketch Object Boundaries (PSOB) dataset contains hand-drawn partial object boundaries which represent curvatures of an object’s ground truth mask with several pixels. Through extensive evaluation using the PSOB dataset, we show that HiSEG outperforms state-of-the art methods such as Mask R-CNN, Strong Mask R-CNN, Mask2Former, and Segment Anything, achieving respective increases of +42.0, +34.9, +29.9, and +13.4 points in APMask metrics for these four models. We hope that our novel approach will set a baseline for future human-aided deep learning models by combining fully automated and interactive instance segmentation architectures.

Artificial bee colony-based nonrigid demons registration

The artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm has gained popularity in recent years for its ability to solve optimization problems. The accuracy and resilience of ABC-based image processing techniques have demonstrated encouraging outcomes. The ABC method is an excellent solution for image processing issues since it has the ability to swiftly and effectively explore the search space. The current research intends to address image registration issues by refining the existing image registration strategy using ABC algorithm. The process of nonrigid demons registration is frequently employed in the processing of medical images. The combination of these two techniques is referred to as the ABC-based nonrigid demons registration method. The proposed method has shown superior performance in registration accuracy and efficiency compared to other existing methods. Applications in medical image analysis and computer-assisted diagnosis are highly promising for the ABC-based nonrigid demons registration. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) and frameworks based on genetic algorithms (GA) have been compared with the suggested framework. The observed results showed improved accuracy and faster convergence in ABC-based demons registration.

Polygonal Approximation Learning for Convex Object Segmentation in Biomedical Images With Bounding Box Supervision.

As a common and critical medical image analysis task, deep learning based biomedical image segmentation is hindered by the dependence on costly fine-grained annotations. To alleviate this data dependence, in this article, a novel approach, called Polygonal Approximation Learning (PAL), is proposed for convex object instance segmentation with only bounding-box supervision. The key idea behind PAL is that the detection model for convex objects already contains the necessary information for segmenting them since their convex hulls, which can be generated approximately by the intersection of bounding boxes, are equivalent to the masks representing the objects. To extract the essential information from the detection model, a repeated detection approach is employed on biomedical images where various rotation angles are applied and a dice loss with the projection of the rotated detection results is utilized as a supervised signal in training our segmentation model. In biomedical imaging tasks involving convex objects, such as nuclei instance segmentation, PAL outperforms the known models (e.g., BoxInst) that rely solely on box supervision. Furthermore, PAL achieves comparable performance with mask-supervised models including Mask R-CNN and Cascade Mask R-CNN. Interestingly, PAL also demonstrates remarkable performance on non-convex object instance segmentation tasks, for example, surgical instrument and organ instance segmentation.

DLCNBC-SA: a model for assessing axillary lymph node metastasis status in early breast cancer patients.

Axillary lymph node (ALN) status is a crucial prognostic indicator for breast cancer metastasis, with manual interpretation of whole slide images (WSIs) being the current standard practice. However, this method is subjective and time-consuming. Recent advancements in deep learning-based methods for medical image analysis have shown promise in improving clinical diagnosis. This study aims to leverage these technological advancements to develop a deep learning model based on features extracted from primary tumor biopsies for preoperatively identifying ALN metastasis in early-stage breast cancer patients with negative nodes. We present DLCNBC-SA, a deep learning-based network specifically tailored for core needle biopsy and clinical data feature extraction, which integrates a self-attention mechanism (CNBC-SA). The proposed model consists of a feature extractor based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and an improved self-attention mechanism module, which can preserve the independence of features in WSIs for analysis and enhancement to provide rich feature representation. To validate the performance of the proposed model, we conducted comparative experiments and ablation studies using publicly available datasets, and verification was performed through quantitative analysis. The comparative experiment illustrates the superior performance of the proposed model in the task of binary classification of ALNs, as compared to alternative methods. Our method achieved outstanding performance [area under the curve (AUC): 0.882] in this task, significantly surpassing the state-of-the-art (SOTA) method on the same dataset (AUC: 0.862). The ablation experiment reveals that incorporating RandomRotation data augmentation technology and utilizing Adadelta optimizer can effectively enhance the performance of the proposed model. The experimental results demonstrate that the model proposed in this paper outperforms the SOTA model on the same dataset, thereby establishing its reliability as an assistant for pathologists in analyzing WSIs of breast cancer. Consequently, it significantly enhances both the efficiency and accuracy of doctors during the diagnostic process.

Covid-19 Diagnosis using Deep Learning Approaches: A Systematic Review

The utilisation of deep learning techniques has witnessed a surge in popularity within the realm of medical image analysis, particularly in the context of identifying COVID-19. Following the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive investigations have been conducted to identify the existence of Sars-Cov-2 through the utilisation of several deep learning algorithms. The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of deep learning techniques utilised for the detection of COVID-19. "Can deep learning methodologies serve as a viable substitute for radiologists in the diagnostic process of COVID-19?" is the research inquiry. In order to compile research articles for the purpose of conducting a systematic review, two scientific databases were employed as primary sources. Databases such as PubMed and IEEE Xplore have been utilised for this purpose till January 2022. The published studies were examined in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The study established predetermined criteria for exclusion and inclusion, and subsequently identified relevant works based on these criteria. The findings indicated that a total of 543 out of the 634 articles that were initially retrieved were excluded due to their lack of conformity with the predetermined criteria. Conversely, 87 articles met the inclusion criteria and were retained for further analysis. The research articles presented in this compilation are categorised into three distinct groups: the types of visual representations utilised, the methods employed for applying deep learning techniques, and the programming languages that are most frequently utilised. The exclusive reliance on deep learning algorithms is insufficient for substituting the visual diagnostic performed by physicians and radiologists in the detection of COVID-19. Due to the lack of substantiation by the medical establishment. CT and x-ray imaging modalities are commonly utilised in various fields. However, alternative imaging techniques, such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Ultrasonic imaging, are either overlooked or not given due consideration. The predominant focus of study is on retrospective (theoretical) rather than prospective (pragmatic) investigations. Consequently, there exists a significant need for researchers to enhance the practicality of their investigations.

Embracing Large Natural Data: Enhancing Medical Image Analysis via Cross-Domain Fine-Tuning.

With the rapid advancements of Big Data and computer vision, many large-scale natural visual datasets are proposed, such as ImageNet-21K, LAION-400M, and LAION-2B. These large-scale datasets significantly improve the robustness and accuracy of models in the natural vision domain. However, the field of medical images continues to face limitations due to relatively small-scale datasets. In this article, we propose a novel method to enhance medical image analysis across domains by leveraging pre-trained models on large natural datasets. Specifically, a Cross-Domain Transfer Module (CDTM) is proposed to transfer natural vision domain features to the medical image domain, facilitating efficient fine-tuning of models pre-trained on large datasets. In addition, we design a Staged Fine-Tuning (SFT) strategy in conjunction with CDTM to further improve the model performance. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on multiple medical image datasets through efficient fine-tuning of models pre-trained on large natural datasets.