XAI Applications in Medical Imaging: A Survey of Methods and Challenges

Medical imaging plays a pivotal role in modern healthcare, aiding in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of various medical conditions. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), medical imaging has witnessed remarkable advancements, promising more accurate and efficient analysis. However, the black-box nature of many AI models used in medical imaging has raised concerns regarding their interpretability and trustworthiness. In response to these challenges, Explainable AI (XAI) has emerged as a critical field, aiming to provide transparent and interpretable solutions for medical image analysis. This survey paper comprehensively explores the methods and challenges associated with XAI applications in medical imaging. The survey begins with an introduction to the significance of XAI in medical imaging, emphasizing the need for transparent and interpretable AI solutions in healthcare. We delve into the background of medical imaging in healthcare and discuss the increasing role of AI in this domain. The paper then presents a detailed survey of various XAI techniques, ranging from interpretable machine learning models to deep learning approaches with built-in interpretability and post hoc interpretation methods. Furthermore, the survey outlines a wide range of applications where XAI is making a substantial impact, including disease diagnosis and detection, medical image segmentation, radiology reports, surgical planning, and telemedicine. Real-world case studies illustrate successful applications of XAI in medical imaging. The challenges associated with implementing XAI in medical imaging are thoroughly examined, addressing issues related to data quality, ethics, regulation, clinical integration, model robustness, and human-AI interaction. The survey concludes by discussing emerging trends and future directions in the field, highlighting the ongoing efforts to enhance XAI methods for medical imaging and the critical role XAI will play in the future of healthcare. This survey paper serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers interested in the integration of Explainable AI into medical imaging, providing insights into the latest methods, successful applications, and the challenges that lie ahead