Self-paced Convolutional Neural Network for Computer Aided Detection in Medical Imaging Analysis

Tissue characterization has long been an important component of Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems for automatic lesion detection and further clinical planning. Motivated by the superior performance of deep learning methods on various computer vision problems, there has been increasing work applying deep learning to medical image analysis. However, the development of a robust and reliable deep learning model for computer-aided diagnosis is still highly challenging due to the combination of the high heterogeneity in the medical images and the relative lack of training samples. Specifically, annotation and labeling of the medical images is much more expensive and time-consuming than other applications and often involves manual labor from multiple domain experts. In this work, we propose a multi-stage, self-paced learning framework utilizing a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify Computed Tomography (CT) image patches. The key contribution of this approach is that we augment the size of training samples by refining the unlabeled instances with a self-paced learning CNN. By implementing the framework on high performance computing servers including the NVIDIA DGX1 machine, we obtained the experimental result, showing that the self-pace boosted network consistently outperformed the original network even with very scarce manual labels. The performance gain indicates that applications with limited training samples such as medical image analysis can benefit from using the proposed framework.Comment: accepted by 8th International Workshop on Machine Learning in Medical Imaging (MLMI 2017

Fast Magnetic Flux Line Allocation Algorithm for Interactive Visualization Using Magnetic Flux Line Existence Probability

The visualization of magnetic flux lines is one of the most effective ways to intuitively grasp a magnetic field. The depiction of continuous and smooth magnetic flux lines according to the magnetic field is of paramount importance. Thus, it is important to adequately allocate the distribution of magnetic flux lines in the analyzed space. The authors have already proposed two methods of determining the allocation of magnetic flux lines in 3-D space. However, both methods exhibited a long computation time to determine the allocation of magnetic flux lines. For solving this problem, in this paper, we propose a new improved method for correct allocation of magnetic flux lines in 3-D space with modest computational cost. The main advantages of this method are shorter computation time, correct allocation of the magnetic flux lines, and especially short computation time for visualization of magnetic flux lines when changes in the number of depicted flux lines is requested

Stochastic model predictive control for constrained networked control systems with random time delay

In this paper the continuous time stochastic constrained optimal control problem is formulated for the class of networked control systems assuming that time delays follow a discrete-time, finite Markov chain . Polytopic overapproximations of the system's trajectories are employed to produce a polyhedral inner approximation of the non-convex constraint set resulting from imposing the constraints in continuous time. The problem is cast in a Markov jump linear systems (MJLS) framework and a stochastic MPC controller is calculated explicitly, oine, coupling dynamic programming with parametric piecewise quadratic (PWQ) optimization. The calculated control law leads to stochastic stability of the closed loop system, in the mean square sense and respects the state and input constraints in continuous time

A New MI-Based Visualization Aided Validation Index for Mining Big Longitudinal Web Trial Data

Web-delivered clinical trials generate big complex data. To help untangle the heterogeneity of treatment effects, unsupervised learning methods have been widely applied. However, identifying valid patterns is a priority but challenging issue for these methods. This paper, built upon our previous research on multiple imputation (MI)-based fuzzy clustering and validation, proposes a new MI-based Visualization-aided validation index (MIVOOS) to determine the optimal number of clusters for big incomplete longitudinal Web-trial data with inflated zeros. Different from a recently developed fuzzy clustering validation index, MIVOOS uses a more suitable overlap and separation measures for Web-trial data but does not depend on the choice of fuzzifiers as the widely used Xie and Beni (XB) index. Through optimizing the view angles of 3-D projections using Sammon mapping, the optimal 2-D projection-guided MIVOOS is obtained to better visualize and verify the patterns in conjunction with trajectory patterns. Compared with XB and VOS, our newly proposed MIVOOS shows its robustness in validating big Web-trial data under different missing data mechanisms using real and simulated Web-trial data

Guest Editorial Special Issue on Medical Imaging and Image Computing in Computational Physiology

International audienceThe January 2013 Special Issue of IEEE transactions on medical imaging discusses papers on medical imaging and image computing in computational physiology. Aslanid and co-researchers present an experimental technique based on stained micro computed tomography (CT) images to construct very detailed atrial models of the canine heart. The paper by Sebastian proposes a model of the cardiac conduction system (CCS) based on structural information derived from stained calf tissue. Ho, Mithraratne and Hunter present a numerical simulation of detailed cerebral venous flow. The third category of papers deals with computational methods for simulating medical imagery and incorporate knowledge of imaging physics and physiology/biophysics. The work by Morales showed how the combination of device modeling and virtual deployment, in addition to patient-specific image-based anatomical modeling, can help to carry out patient-specific treatment plans and assess alternative therapeutic strategies

SciTech News Volume 71, No. 1 (2017)

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