The tangential field-in-field (FIF) technique is a widely used method in breast radiation therapy, known for its efficiency and the reduced number of fields required in treatment planning. However, it is labor-intensive, requiring manual shaping of the multileaf collimator (MLC) to minimize hot spots. This study aims to develop a novel automated FIF planning approach for tangential breast radiation therapy using Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph (DRR) images. A total of 78 patients were selected to train and test a fluence map prediction model based on U-Net architecture. DRR images were used as input data to predict the fluence maps. The predicted fluence maps for each treatment plan were then converted into MLC positions and exported as Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files. These files were used to recalculate the dose distribution and assess dosimetric parameters for both the PTV and OARs. The mean absolute error (MAE) between the predicted and original fluence map was 0.007 ± 0.002. The result of gamma analysis indicates strong agreement between the predicted and original fluence maps, with gamma passing rate values of 95.47 ± 4.27 for the 3 %/3 mm criteria, 94.65 ± 4.32 for the 3 %/2 mm criteria, and 83.4 ± 12.14 for the 2 %/2 mm criteria. The plan quality, in terms of tumor coverage and doses to organs at risk (OARs), showed no significant differences between the automated FIF and original plans. The automated plans yielded promising results, with plan quality comparable to the original.

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of deep learning-based super-resolution techniques to reduce scan time while preserving image quality in high-resolution prostate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI). We retrospectively and prospectively analyzed prostate rs-EPI DWI data, employing deep learning super-resolution models, particularly the Multi-Scale Self-Similarity Network (MSSNet), to reconstruct low-resolution images into high-resolution images. Performance metrics such as structural similarity index (SSIM), Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) were used to compare reconstructed images against the high-resolution ground truth (HR_GT). Additionally, we evaluated the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) across different models. The MSSNet model demonstrated superior performance in image reconstruction, achieving maximum SSIM values of 0.9798, and significant improvements in PSNR and NRMSE compared to other models. The deep learning approach reduced the rs-EPI DWI scan time by 54.4 % while maintaining image quality comparable to HR_GT. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between ADC values from deep learning-reconstructed images and the ground truth, with differences remaining within 5 %. Furthermore, all models showed significant SNR enhancement, with MSSNet performing best across most cases. Deep learning-based super-resolution techniques, particularly MSSNet, effectively reduce scan time and enhance image quality in prostate rs-EPI DWI, making them promising tools for clinical applications.

BackgroundComputed tomography (CT) is widely used in clinical diagnosis of lung diseases. The automatic segmentation of lesions in CT images aids in the development of intelligent lung disease diagnosis.ObjectiveThis study aims to address the issue of imprecise segmentation in CT images due to the blurred detailed features of lesions, which can easily be confused with surrounding tissues.MethodsWe proposed a promptable segmentation method based on an improved U-Net and Segment Anything model (SAM) to improve segmentation accuracy of lung lesions in CT images. The improved U-Net incorporates a multi-scale attention module based on a channel attention mechanism ECA (Efficient Channel Attention) to improve recognition of detailed feature information at edge of lesions; and a promptable clipping module to incorporate physicians' prior knowledge into the model to reduce background interference. Segment Anything model (SAM) has a strong ability to recognize lesions and pulmonary atelectasis or organs. We combine the two to improve overall segmentation performances.ResultsOn the LUAN16 dataset and a lung CT dataset provided by the Shanghai Chest Hospital, the proposed method achieves Dice coefficients of 80.12% and 92.06%, and Positive Predictive Values of 81.25% and 91.91%, which are superior to most existing mainstream segmentation methods.ConclusionThe proposed method can be used to improve segmentation accuracy of lung lesions in CT images, enhance automation level of existing computer-aided diagnostic systems, and provide more effective assistance to radiologists in clinical practice.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to perform multiple (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mo>≥</mo><mn>3</mn></math>) material decomposition with deep learning method for spectral cone-beam CT (CBCT) imaging based on ultra-slow kV switching.ApproachIn this work, a novel deep neural network called SkV-Net is developed to reconstruct multiple material density images from the ultra-sparse spectral CBCT projections acquired using the ultra-slow kV switching technique. In particular, the SkV-Net has a backbone structure of U-Net, and a multi-head axial attention module is adopted to enlarge the perceptual field. It takes the CT images reconstructed from each kV as input, and output the basis material images automatically based on their energy-dependent attenuation characteristics. Numerical simulations and experimental studies are carried out to evaluate the performance of this new approach.Main ResultsIt is demonstrated that the SkV-Net is able to generate four different material density images, i.e., fat, muscle, bone and iodine, from five spans of kV switched spectral projections. Physical experiments show that the decomposition errors of iodine and CaCl<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msub><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msub></math> are less than 6<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mi>%</mi></math>, indicating high precision of this novel approach in distinguishing materials.SignificanceSkV-Net provides a promising multi-material decomposition approach for spectral CBCT imaging systems implemented with the ultra-slow kV switching scheme.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) progressively alters brain structure and function, yet the associated changes in large-scale brain network dynamics remain poorly understood. We applied the intrinsic ignition framework to resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data from AD patients, individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and cognitively healthy controls (HC) to elucidate how AD shapes intrinsic brain activity. We assessed node-metastability at the whole-brain level and in 7 canonical resting-state networks (RSNs). Our results revealed a progressive decline in dynamical complexity across the disease continuum. HC exhibited the highest node-metastability, whereas it was substantially reduced in MCI and AD patients. The cortical hierarchy of information processing was also disrupted, indicating that rich-club hubs may be selectively affected in AD progression. Furthermore, we used linear mixed-effects models to evaluate the influence of Amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) and tau pathology on brain dynamics at both regional and whole-brain levels. We found significant associations between both protein burdens and alterations in node metastability. Lastly, a machine learning classifier trained on brain dynamics, A{beta}, and tau burden features achieved high accuracy in discriminating between disease stages. Together, our findings highlight the progressive disruption of intrinsic ignition across whole-brain and RSNs in AD and support the use of node-metastability in conjunction with proteinopathy as a novel framework for tracking disease progression.

To develop a multiparametric breast MRI radiomics and deep learning-based multimodal model for predicting preoperative Ki-67 expression status in breast cancer, with the potential to advance individualized treatment and precision medicine for breast cancer patients. We included 176 invasive breast cancer patients who underwent breast MRI and had Ki-67 results. The dataset was randomly split into training (70 %) and test (30 %) sets. Features from T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) were fused. Separate models were created for each sequence: T1, DWI, T2, and DCE. A multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI) model was then developed by combining features from all sequences. Models were trained using five-fold cross-validation and evaluated on the test set with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F1 score. Delong's test compared the mp-MRI model with the other models, with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance. All five models demonstrated good performance, with AUCs of 0.83 for the T1 model, 0.85 for the DWI model, 0.90 for the T2 model, 0.92 for the DCE model, and 0.96 for the mp-MRI model. Delong's test indicated statistically significant differences between the mp-MRI model and the other four models, with P values < 0.05. The multiparametric breast MRI radiomics and deep learning-based multimodal model performs well in predicting preoperative Ki-67 expression status in breast cancer.

The adoption of standardized imaging protocols in retinal imaging is critical to overcoming challenges posed by fragmented data formats across devices and manufacturers. The lack of standardization hinders clinical interoperability, collaborative research, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models that depend on large, high-quality datasets. The Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) standard offers a robust solution for ensuring interoperability in medical imaging. Although DICOM is widely utilized in radiology and cardiology, its adoption in ophthalmology remains limited. Retinal imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography, and OCT angiography (OCTA) have revolutionized retinal disease management but are constrained by proprietary and non-standardized formats. This review underscores the necessity for harmonized imaging standards in ophthalmology, detailing DICOM standards for retinal imaging including ophthalmic photography (OP), OCT, and OCTA, and their requisite metadata information. Additionally, the potential of DICOM standardization for advancing AI applications in ophthalmology is explored. A notable example is the Artificial Intelligence Ready and Equitable Atlas for Diabetes Insights (AI-READI) dataset, the first publicly available standards-compliant DICOM retinal imaging dataset. This dataset encompasses diverse retinal imaging modalities, including color fundus photography, infrared, autofluorescence, OCT, and OCTA. By leveraging multimodal retinal imaging, AI-READI provides a transformative resource for studying diabetes and its complications, setting a blueprint for future datasets aimed at harmonizing imaging formats and enabling AI-driven breakthroughs in ophthalmology. Our manuscript also addresses challenges in retinal imaging for diabetic patients, retinal imaging-based AI applications for studying diabetes, and potential advancements in retinal imaging standardization.

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the performance of radiomics, dosiomics and machine learning in generating toxicity prediction in thoracic radiotherapy. An electronic database search was conducted and dual-screened by independent authors to identify eligible studies for systematic review and meta-analysis. Data was extracted and study quality was assessed using TRIPOD for machine learning studies, RQS for Radiomics and RoB for dosiomics. 10,703 studies were identified, and 5252 entered screening. 106 studies including 23,373 patients were eligible for systematic review. Primary toxicity predicted was radiation pneumonitis (81), followed by esophagitis (12) and lymphopenia (4). Fourty-two studies studying radiation pneumonitis were eligible for meta-analysis, with pooled area-under-curve (AUC) of 0.82 (95% CI 0.79-0.85). Studies with machine learning had the best performance, with classical and deep learning models having similar performance. There is a trend towards an improvement of the performance of models with the year of publication. There is variability in study quality among the three study categories and dosiomic studies scored the highest among these. Publication bias was not observed. The majority of existing literature using radiomics, dosiomics and machine learning has focused on radiation pneumonitis prediction. Future research should focus on toxicity prediction of other organs at risk and the adoption of these models into clinical practice.

BackgroundLung ultrasound (LUS) offers advantages over traditional imaging for diagnosing pulmonary conditions, with superior accuracy compared to chest X-ray and similar performance to CT at lower cost. Despite these benefits, widespread adoption is limited by operator dependency, moderate interrater reliability, and training requirements. Deep learning (DL) could potentially address these challenges, but development of effective algorithms is hindered by the scarcity of comprehensive image repositories with proper metadata. MethodsWe created an open-source dataset of LUS images derived a multi-center study involving N=226 adult patients presenting with respiratory symptoms to emergency departments between March 2020 and April 2022. Images were acquired using a standardized scanning protocol (12-zone or modified 8-zone) with various point-of-care ultrasound devices. Three blinded researchers independently analyzed each image following consensus guidelines, with disagreements adjudicated to provide definitive interpretations. Videos were pre-processed to remove identifiers, and frames were extracted and resized to 128x128 pixels. ResultsThe dataset contains 1,874 video clips comprising 303,977 frames. Half of the participants (50%) had COVID-19 pneumonia. Among all clips, 66% contained no abnormalities, 18% contained B-lines, 4.5% contained consolidations, 6.4% contained both B-lines and consolidations, and 5.2% had indeterminate findings. Pathological findings varied significantly by lung zone, with anterior zones more frequently normal and less likely to show consolidations compared to lateral and posterior zones. DiscussionThis dataset represents one of the largest annotated LUS repositories to date, including both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. The comprehensive metadata and expert interpretations enhance its utility for DL applications. Despite limitations including potential device-specific characteristics and COVID-19 predominance, this repository provides a valuable resource for developing AI tools to improve LUS acquisition and interpretation.

Predicting long-term functional outcomes for individuals with stroke is a significant challenge. Solving this challenge will open new opportunities for improving stroke management by informing acute interventions and guiding personalized rehabilitation strategies. The location of the stroke is a key predictor of outcomes, yet no clinically deployed tools incorporate lesion location information for outcome prognostication. This study responds to this critical need by introducing a fully automated, three-stage neuroimaging processing and machine learning pipeline that predicts personalized outcomes from clinical imaging in adult ischemic stroke patients. In the first stage, our system automatically processes raw DICOM inputs, registers the brain to a standard template, and uses deep learning models to segment the stroke lesion. In the second stage, lesion location and automatically derived network features are input into statistical models trained to predict long-term impairments from a large independent cohort of lesion patients. In the third stage, a structured PDF report is generated using a large language model that describes the strokes location, the arterial distribution, and personalized prognostic information. We demonstrate the viability of this approach in a proof-of-concept application predicting select cognitive outcomes in a stroke cohort. Brain-behavior models were pre-trained to predict chronic impairment on 28 different cognitive outcomes in a large cohort of patients with focal brain lesions (N=604). The automated pipeline used these models to predict outcomes from clinically acquired MRIs in an independent ischemic stroke cohort (N=153). Starting from raw clinical DICOM images, we show that our pipeline can generate outcome predictions for individual patients in less than 3 minutes with 96% concordance relative to methods requiring manual processing. We also show that prediction accuracy is enhanced using models that incorporate lesion location, lesion-associated network information, and demographics. Our results provide a strong proof-of-concept and lay the groundwork for developing imaging-based clinical tools for stroke outcome prognostication.