Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging

IntroductionAlthough medical imaging plays a crucial role in stroke management, machine learning (ML) has been increasingly used in this field, particularly in lesion segmentation. Despite advances in acquisition technologies and segmentation architectures, one of the main challenges of subacute str...

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Main Authors: Juliette Moreau, Laura Mechtouff, David Rousseau, Omer Faruk Eker, Yves Berthezene, Tae-Hee Cho, Carole Frindel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1434334/full
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author Juliette Moreau
Juliette Moreau
Laura Mechtouff
Laura Mechtouff
David Rousseau
Omer Faruk Eker
Omer Faruk Eker
Yves Berthezene
Yves Berthezene
Tae-Hee Cho
Tae-Hee Cho
Carole Frindel
Carole Frindel
author_facet Juliette Moreau
Juliette Moreau
Laura Mechtouff
Laura Mechtouff
David Rousseau
Omer Faruk Eker
Omer Faruk Eker
Yves Berthezene
Yves Berthezene
Tae-Hee Cho
Tae-Hee Cho
Carole Frindel
Carole Frindel
author_sort Juliette Moreau
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionAlthough medical imaging plays a crucial role in stroke management, machine learning (ML) has been increasingly used in this field, particularly in lesion segmentation. Despite advances in acquisition technologies and segmentation architectures, one of the main challenges of subacute stroke lesion segmentation in computed tomography (CT) imaging is image contrast.MethodsTo address this issue, we propose a method to assess the contrast quality of an image dataset with a ML trained model for segmentation. This method identifies the critical contrast level below which the medical-imaging model fails to learn meaningful content from images. Contrast measurement relies on the Fisher's ratio, estimating how well the stroke lesion is contrasted from the background. The critical contrast is found-thanks to the following three methods: Performance, graphical, and clustering analysis. Defining this threshold improves dataset design and accelerates training by excluding low-contrast images.ResultsApplication of this method to brain lesion segmentation in CT imaging highlights a Fisher's ratio threshold value of 0.05, and training validation of a new model without these images confirms this with similar results with only 60% of the training data, resulting in an almost 30% reduction in initial training time. Moreover, the model trained without the low-contrast images performed equally well with all images when tested on another database.DiscussionThis study opens discussion with clinicians concerning the limitations, areas for improvement, and strategies for enhancing datasets and training models. While the methodology was only applied to stroke lesion segmentation in CT images, it has the potential to be adapted to other tasks.
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spelling doaj-art-059344d89ad24aa9b4c814f7baebc2fb2025-02-10T16:05:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-02-011610.3389/fneur.2025.14343341434334Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imagingJuliette Moreau0Juliette Moreau1Laura Mechtouff2Laura Mechtouff3David Rousseau4Omer Faruk Eker5Omer Faruk Eker6Yves Berthezene7Yves Berthezene8Tae-Hee Cho9Tae-Hee Cho10Carole Frindel11Carole Frindel12CarMeN, INSERM U1060, INRAe U1397, Université Lyon 1, INSA de Lyon, Pierre-Bénite, FranceCREATIS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA Lyon, UMR CNRS 5220, Inserm U1294, Villeurbanne, FranceCarMeN, INSERM U1060, INRAe U1397, Université Lyon 1, INSA de Lyon, Pierre-Bénite, FranceDepartment of Neurology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, FranceLARIS, UMR IRHS INRAe, Universite d'Angers, Angers, FranceCREATIS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA Lyon, UMR CNRS 5220, Inserm U1294, Villeurbanne, FranceDepartment of Neurology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, FranceCREATIS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA Lyon, UMR CNRS 5220, Inserm U1294, Villeurbanne, FranceDepartment of Neurology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, FranceCarMeN, INSERM U1060, INRAe U1397, Université Lyon 1, INSA de Lyon, Pierre-Bénite, FranceDepartment of Neurology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, FranceCREATIS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSA Lyon, UMR CNRS 5220, Inserm U1294, Villeurbanne, FranceInstitut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, FranceIntroductionAlthough medical imaging plays a crucial role in stroke management, machine learning (ML) has been increasingly used in this field, particularly in lesion segmentation. Despite advances in acquisition technologies and segmentation architectures, one of the main challenges of subacute stroke lesion segmentation in computed tomography (CT) imaging is image contrast.MethodsTo address this issue, we propose a method to assess the contrast quality of an image dataset with a ML trained model for segmentation. This method identifies the critical contrast level below which the medical-imaging model fails to learn meaningful content from images. Contrast measurement relies on the Fisher's ratio, estimating how well the stroke lesion is contrasted from the background. The critical contrast is found-thanks to the following three methods: Performance, graphical, and clustering analysis. Defining this threshold improves dataset design and accelerates training by excluding low-contrast images.ResultsApplication of this method to brain lesion segmentation in CT imaging highlights a Fisher's ratio threshold value of 0.05, and training validation of a new model without these images confirms this with similar results with only 60% of the training data, resulting in an almost 30% reduction in initial training time. Moreover, the model trained without the low-contrast images performed equally well with all images when tested on another database.DiscussionThis study opens discussion with clinicians concerning the limitations, areas for improvement, and strategies for enhancing datasets and training models. While the methodology was only applied to stroke lesion segmentation in CT images, it has the potential to be adapted to other tasks.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1434334/fulldeep learningsegmentationquality controlcontrast analysisstrokeCT imaging
spellingShingle Juliette Moreau
Juliette Moreau
Laura Mechtouff
Laura Mechtouff
David Rousseau
Omer Faruk Eker
Omer Faruk Eker
Yves Berthezene
Yves Berthezene
Tae-Hee Cho
Tae-Hee Cho
Carole Frindel
Carole Frindel
Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
Frontiers in Neurology
deep learning
segmentation
quality control
contrast analysis
stroke
CT imaging
title Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
title_full Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
title_fullStr Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
title_full_unstemmed Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
title_short Contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models—Application to stroke lesion in CT imaging
title_sort contrast quality control for segmentation task based on deep learning models application to stroke lesion in ct imaging
topic deep learning
segmentation
quality control
contrast analysis
stroke
CT imaging
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1434334/full
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