Automatic segmentation and classification of breast lesions through identification of informative multiparametric PET/MRI features

Eur Radiol Exp. 2019 Apr 27;3(1):18. doi: 10.1186/s41747-019-0096-3.

Abstract

Background: Multiparametric positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (mpPET/MRI) shows clinical potential for detection and classification of breast lesions. Yet, the contribution of features for computer-aided segmentation and diagnosis (CAD) need to be better understood. We proposed a data-driven machine learning approach for a CAD system combining dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-PET.

Methods: The CAD incorporated a random forest (RF) classifier combined with mpPET/MRI intensity-based features for lesion segmentation and shape features, kinetic and spatio-temporal texture features, for lesion classification. The CAD pipeline detected and segmented suspicious regions and classified lesions as benign or malignant. The inherent feature selection method of RF and alternatively the minimum-redundancy-maximum-relevance feature ranking method were used.

Results: In 34 patients, we report a detection rate of 10/12 (83.3%) and 22/22 (100%) for benign and malignant lesions, respectively, a Dice similarity coefficient of 0.665 for segmentation, and a classification performance with an area under the curve at receiver operating characteristics analysis of 0.978, a sensitivity of 0.946, and a specificity of 0.936. Segmentation but not classification performance of DCE-MRI improved with information from DWI and FDG-PET. Feature ranking revealed that kinetic and spatio-temporal texture features had the highest contribution for lesion classification. 18F-FDG-PET and morphologic features were less predictive.

Conclusion: Our CAD enables the assessment of the relevance of mpPET/MRI features on segmentation and classification accuracy. It may aid as a novel computational tool for exploring different modalities/features and their contributions for the detection and classification of breast lesions.

Keywords: Breast neoplasms; Diagnosis (computer-assisted); Machine learning; Magnetic resonance imaging; Positron-emission tomography.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Diseases / classification
  • Breast Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Diseases / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / classification
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Contrast Media*
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Machine Learning
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimodal Imaging
  • Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18