In plain words: A computer system trained on thousands of biopsy images grades how aggressive prostate cancer is, using quick partial labels instead of full hand-marking by doctors. It matched the expert reference standard and scored better than 10 of 15 pathologists.
Abstract · Automated Gleason Grading of Prostate Biopsies using Deep Learning
The Gleason score is the most important prognostic marker for prostate cancer patients but suffers from significant inter-observer variability. We developed a fully automated deep learning system to grade prostate biopsies. The system was developed using 5834 biopsies from 1243 patients. A semi-automatic labeling technique was used to circumvent the need for full manual annotation by pathologists. The developed system achieved a high agreement with the reference standard. In a separate observer experiment, the deep learning system outperformed 10 out of 15 pathologists. The system has the potential to improve prostate cancer prognostics by acting as a first or second reader.
Wouter Bulten, Hans Pinckaers, Hester van Boven, Robert Vink, Thomas de Bel, Bram van Ginneken, Jeroen van der Laak, Christina Hulsbergen-van de Kaa, Geert Litjens
arXiv:1907.07980 · eess.IV, cs.CV · submitted Jul 18, 2019
abstract · pdf · html · 13 pages, 6 figures