Solving non-convex regularized inverse problems is challenging due to their complex optimization landscapes and multiple local minima. However, these models remain widely studied as they often yield high-quality, task-oriented solutions, particularly in medical imaging, where the goal is to enhance clinically relevant features rather than merely minimizing global error. We propose incDG, a hybrid framework that integrates deep learning with incremental model-based optimization to efficiently approximate the $\ell_0$-optimal solution of imaging inverse problems. Built on the Deep Guess strategy, incDG exploits a deep neural network to generate effective initializations for a non-convex variational solver, which refines the reconstruction through regularized incremental iterations. This design combines the efficiency of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools with the theoretical guarantees of model-based optimization, ensuring robustness and stability. We validate incDG on TpV-regularized optimization tasks, demonstrating its effectiveness in medical image deblurring and tomographic reconstruction across diverse datasets, including synthetic images, brain CT slices, and chest-abdomen scans. Results show that incDG outperforms both conventional iterative solvers and deep learning-based methods, achieving superior accuracy and stability. Moreover, we confirm that training incDG without ground truth does not significantly degrade performance, making it a practical and powerful tool for solving non-convex inverse problems in imaging and beyond.

Incoherent k-space under-sampling and deep learning-based reconstruction methods have shown great success in accelerating MRI. However, the performance of most previous methods will degrade dramatically under high acceleration factors, e.g., 8$\times$ or higher. Recently, denoising diffusion models (DM) have demonstrated promising results in solving this issue; however, one major drawback of the DM methods is the long inference time due to a dramatic number of iterative reverse posterior sampling steps. In this work, a Single Step Diffusion Model-based reconstruction framework, namely SSDM-MRI, is proposed for restoring MRI images from highly undersampled k-space. The proposed method achieves one-step reconstruction by first training a conditional DM and then iteratively distilling this model. Comprehensive experiments were conducted on both publicly available fastMRI images and an in-house multi-echo GRE (QSM) subject. Overall, the results showed that SSDM-MRI outperformed other methods in terms of numerical metrics (PSNR and SSIM), qualitative error maps, image fine details, and latent susceptibility information hidden in MRI phase images. In addition, the reconstruction time for a 320*320 brain slice of SSDM-MRI is only 0.45 second, which is only comparable to that of a simple U-net, making it a highly effective solution for MRI reconstruction tasks.

Each year, thousands of brain MRI scans are collected to study structural development in children and adolescents. However, the amygdala, a particularly small and complex structure, remains difficult to segment reliably, especially in developing populations where its volume is even smaller. To address this challenge, we developed AmygdalaGo-BOLT, a boundary-aware deep learning model tailored for human amygdala segmentation. It was trained and validated using 854 manually labeled scans from pediatric datasets, with independent samples used to ensure performance generalizability. The model integrates multiscale image features, spatial priors, and self-attention mechanisms within a compact encoder-decoder architecture to enhance boundary detection. Validation across multiple imaging centers and age groups shows that AmygdalaGo-BOLT closely matches expert manual labels, improves processing efficiency, and outperforms existing tools in accuracy. This enables robust and scalable analysis of amygdala morphology in developmental neuroimaging studies where manual tracing is impractical. To support open and reproducible science, we publicly release both the labeled datasets and the full source code.

Percutaneous screw fixation technique in pelvic trauma surgery is an extremely challenging operation that typically requires a trial-and-error insertion process under the guidance of continuous intraoperative X-ray. This process can be simplified by utilizing surgical navigation systems. Understanding the complexity of the intraosseous pelvis corridor is essential for establishing the optimal screw corridor, which further facilitates preoperative planning and intraoperative application. Traditional screw corridor search algorithms necessitate traversing the entrance and exit areas of the screw and calculating the distance from the corridor axis to the bone surface to ascertain the location of the screw. This process is computationally complex, and manual measurement by the physician is time consuming, labor intensive, and empirically dependent. In this study, we propose an automated planning algorithm for pelvic screw corridors based on deep learning deformable registration technology, which can efficiently and accurately identify the optimal screw corridors. Compared to traditional methods, the innovations of this study include: (1) the introduction of corridor safety range constraints on screw positioning, which enhances search efficiency; (2) the application of deep learning deformable registration to facilitate the automatic annotation of the screw entrance and exit areas, as well as the safety range of the corridor; and (3) the development of a highly efficient algorithm for optimal corridor searching, quickly determining the corridor without traversing the entrance and exit areas and enhancing efficiency via a vector-based diameter calculation method. The whole framework of the algorithm consists of three key components: atlas generation module, deformable registration and optimal corridor searching strategy. In the experiments, we test the performance of the proposed algorithm on 198 intact pelvises for calculating the optimal corridor of anterior column corridor and S1 sacroiliac screws. The results show that the new algorithm can increase the corridor diameter by 2.1%-3.3% compared to manual measurements, while significantly reducing the average time from 1038s and 3398s to 18.9s and 26.7s on anterior column corridor and S1 sacroiliac corridor, respectively, compared to the traditional screw searching algorithm. This demonstrates the advantages of the algorithm in terms of efficiency and accuracy. However, the current method is validated only on intact pelvises; further research is required for pelvic fracture scenarios.

Hip fractures, particularly among the elderly, impose a significant public health burden due to increased morbidity and mortality. Femoral neck fractures, commonly resulting from low-energy falls, can lead to severe complications such as avascular necrosis, and often necessitate total hip arthroplasty. This study harnesses AI to enhance musculoskeletal assessments by performing automatic muscle segmentation on whole thigh CT scans and detailed cortical measurements using the StradView program. The primary aim is to improve the prediction and prevention of severe femoral neck fractures, ultimately supporting more effective rehabilitation and treatment strategies. This study measured anatomical features from whole thigh CT scans of 60 femoral neck fracture patients. An AI-driven individual muscle segmentation model (a dice score of 0.84) segmented 27 muscles in the thigh region, to calculate muscle volumes. Proximal femoral bone parameters were measured using StradView, including average cortical thickness, inner density and FWHM at four regions. Correlation analysis evaluated relationships between muscle features, cortical parameters, and fracture displacement. Machine learning models (Random Forest, SVM and Multi-layer Perceptron) predicted displacement using these variables. Correlation analysis showed significant associations between femoral neck displacement and trabecular density at the femoral neck/intertrochanter, as well as volumes of specific thigh muscles such as the Tensor fasciae latae. Machine learning models using a combined feature set of thigh muscle volumes and proximal femoral parameters performed best in predicting displacement, with the Random Forest model achieving an F1 score of 0.91 and SVM model 0.93. Decreased volumes of the Tensor fasciae latae, Rectus femoris, and Semimembranosus muscles, coupled with reduced trabecular density at the femoral neck and intertrochanter, were significantly associated with increased fracture displacement. Notably, our SVM model-integrating both muscle and femoral features-achieved the highest predictive performance. These findings underscore the critical importance of muscle strength and bone density in rehabilitation planning and highlight the potential of AI-driven predictive models for improving clinical outcomes in femoral neck fractures.

The study aimed at developing and validating a deep learning (DL) model based on the ultrasound imaging for predicting the platinum resistance of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). 392 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study who had been diagnosed with EOC between 2014 and 2020 and underwent pelvic ultrasound before initial treatment. A DL model was developed to predict patients' platinum resistance, and the model underwent evaluation through receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration curve. The ROC curves showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the DL model for predicting patients' platinum resistance in the internal and external test sets were 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.90) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.84-0.89), respectively. The model demonstrated high clinical value through clinical decision curve analysis and exhibited good calibration efficiency in the training cohort. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that the model's optimal cutoff value successfully distinguished between patients at high and low risk of recurrence, with hazard ratios of 3.1 (95% CI 2.3-4.1, P < 0.0001) and 2.9 (95% CI 2.3-3.9; P < 0.0001) in the high-risk group of the internal and external test sets, serving as a prognostic indicator. The DL model based on ultrasound imaging can predict platinum resistance in patients with EOC and may support clinicians in making the most appropriate treatment decisions.

Pneumonia is a major threat to the health of children, especially those under the age of five. Mycoplasma  pneumoniae infection is a core cause of pediatric pneumonia, and the incidence of severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP) has increased in recent years. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish an early warning model for SMPP to improve the prognosis of pediatric pneumonia. The study comprised 597 SMPP patients aged between 1 month and 18 years. Clinical data were selected through Lasso regression analysis, followed by the application of eight machine learning algorithms to develop early warning model. The accuracy of the model was assessed using validation and prospective cohort. To facilitate clinical assessment, the study simplified the indicators and constructed visualized simplified model. The clinical applicability of the model was evaluated by DCA and CIC curve. After variable selection, eight machine learning models were developed using age, sex and 21 serum indicators identified as predictive factors for SMPP. A Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) model demonstrated strong performance, achieving AUC of 0.92 for prospective validation. The SHAP analysis was utilized to screen advantageous variables, which contains of serum S100A8/A9, tracheal computed tomography (CT), retinol-binding protein(RBP), platelet larger cell ratio(P-LCR) and CD4+CD25+Treg cell counts, for constructing a simplified model (SCRPT) to improve clinical applicability. The SCRPT diagnostic model exhibited favorable diagnostic efficacy (AUC > 0.8). Additionally, the study found that S100A8/A9 outperformed clinical inflammatory markers can also differentiate the severity of MPP. The SCRPT model consisting of five dominant variables (S100A8/A9, CT, RBP, PLCR and Treg cell) screened based on eight machine learning is expected to be a tool for early diagnosis of SMPP. S100A8/A9 can also be used as a biomarker for validity differentiation of SMPP when medical conditions are limited.

To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of a novel automated 3D CT-based method for measuring femoral neck anteversion (FNA) compared to three traditional manual methods. A total of 126 femurs from 63 full-length CT scans (35 men and 28 women; average age: 52.0 ± 14.7 years) were analyzed. The automated method used a deep learning network for femur segmentation, landmark identification, and anteversion calculation, with results generated based on two axes: Auto_GT (using the greater trochanter-to-intercondylar notch center axis) and Auto_P (using the piriformis fossa-to-intercondylar notch center axis). These results were validated through manual landmark annotation. The same dataset was assessed using three conventional manual methods: Murphy, Reikeras, and Lee methods. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and pairwise comparisons analyzed correlations and differences between methods. The automated methods produced consistent FNA measurements (Auto_GT: 17.59 ± 9.16° vs. Auto_P: 17.37 ± 9.17° on the right; 15.08 ± 9.88° vs. 14.84 ± 9.90° on the left). Intra-observer ICCs ranged from 0.864 to 0.961, and inter-observer ICCs between Auto_GT and the manual methods were high, except for the Lee method. No significant differences were observed between the two automated methods or between the automated and manual verification methods. Moreover, strong correlations (R > 0.9, p < 0.001) were found between Auto_GT and the manual methods. The novel automated 3D CT-based method demonstrates strong reproducibility and reliability for measuring femoral neck anteversion, with performance comparable to traditional manual techniques. These results indicate its potential utility for preoperative planning, postoperative evaluation, and computer-assisted orthopedic procedures. Not applicable.

Rapid technological advancements in noninvasive and invasive imaging including echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography have allowed for improved anatomical visualization and precise measurement of cardiac structure and function. These imaging modalities allow for evaluation of how cardiac substrate changes, such as myocardial wall thickness, fibrosis, scarring and chamber enlargement and/or dilation, have an important role in arrhythmia initiation and perpetuation. Here, we review the various imaging techniques and modalities used by clinical and basic electrophysiologists to study cardiac arrhythmia mechanisms, periprocedural planning, risk stratification and precise delivery of ablation therapy. We also review the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve identification of areas for triggered activity and isthmuses in reentrant arrhythmias, which may be favorable ablation targets.

Chronic diseases are closely linked to alterations in body composition, yet there is a need for reliable biomarkers to assess disease risk and progression. This study aimed to develop and validate a biological age indicator based on body composition derived from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, offering a novel approach to evaluating health status and predicting disease outcomes. A deep learning model was trained on a reference population from the UK Biobank to estimate body composition biological age (BCBA). The model's performance was assessed across various groups, including individuals with typical and atypical body composition, those with pre-existing diseases, and those who developed diseases after DXA imaging. Key metrics such as c-index were employed to examine BCBA's diagnostic and prognostic potential for type 2 diabetes, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and hypertension. Here we show that BCBA strongly correlates with chronic disease diagnoses and risk prediction. BCBA demonstrated significant associations with type 2 diabetes (odds ratio 1.08 for females and 1.04 for males, p < 0.0005), MACE (odds ratio 1.10 for females and 1.11 for males, p < 0.0005), ASCVD (odds ratio 1.07 for females and 1.10 for males, p < 0.0005), and hypertension (odds ratio 1.06 for females and 1.04 for males, p < 0.0005). It outperformed standard cardiovascular risk profiles in predicting MACE and ASCVD. BCBA is a promising biomarker for assessing chronic disease risk and progression, with potential to improve clinical decision-making. Its integration into routine health assessments could aid early disease detection and personalised interventions.