This study aimed to develop an automated method for pulmonary artery and vein segmentation in both left and right lungs from computed tomography (CT) images using artificial intelligence (AI). The segmentations were evaluated using PulmoSR software, which provides 3D visualizations of patient-specific anatomy, potentially enhancing a surgeon's understanding of the lung structure. A dataset of 125 CT scans from lung segmentectomy patients at Erasmus MC was used. Manual annotations for pulmonary arteries and veins were created with 3D Slicer. nnU-Net models were trained for both lungs, assessed using Dice score, sensitivity, and specificity. Intraoperative recordings demonstrated clinical applicability. A paired t-test evaluated statistical significance of the differences between automatic and manual segmentations. The nnU-Net model, trained at full 3D resolution, achieved a mean Dice score between 0.91 and 0.92. The mean sensitivity and specificity were: left artery: 0.86 and 0.99, right artery: 0.84 and 0.99, left vein: 0.85 and 0.99, right vein: 0.85 and 0.99. The automatic method reduced segmentation time from ∼1.5 hours to under 5 min. Five cases were evaluated to demonstrate how the segmentations support lung segmentectomy procedures. P-values for Dice scores were all below 0.01, indicating statistical significance. The nnU-Net models successfully performed automatic segmentation of pulmonary arteries and veins in both lungs. When integrated with visualization tools, these automatic segmentations can enhance preoperative and intraoperative planning by providing detailed 3D views of patients anatomy.

Oral cavity carcinomas (OCCs) represent roughly 50% of all head and neck cancers. The risk of occult neck metastases for early-stage OCCs ranges from 15% to 35%, hence the need to develop tools that can support the diagnosis of detecting these neck metastases. Machine learning and radiomic features are emerging as effective tools in this field. Thus, the aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of radiomic features to predict the risk of occult neck metastases in early-stage (T1-T2/N0) OCCs. Retrospective study. A single-institution analysis (Maxillo-facial Surgery Unit, University of Naples Federico II). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 75 patients surgically treated for early-stage OCC. For all patients, data regarding TNM, in particular pN status after the histopathological examination, have been obtained and the analysis of radiomic features from MRI has been extrapolated. 56 patients confirmed N0 status after surgery, while 19 resulted in pN+. The radiomic features, extracted by a machine-learning algorithm, exhibited the ability to preoperatively discriminate occult neck metastases with a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 83%, an AUC of 86%, accuracy of 80%, and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 63%. Our results seem to confirm that radiomic features, extracted by machine learning methods, are effective tools in detecting occult neck metastases in early-stage OCCs. The clinical relevance of this study is that radiomics could be used routinely as a preoperative tool to support diagnosis and to help surgeons in the surgical decision-making process, particularly regarding surgical indications for neck lymph node treatment.

Thymomas, though rare, present a wide range of clinical behaviors, from indolent to aggressive forms, making accurate risk stratification crucial for treatment planning. Traditional methods such as histopathology and radiological assessments often lack the ability to capture tumor heterogeneity, which can impact prognosis. Radiomics, combined with machine learning, provides a method to extract and analyze quantitative imaging features, offering the potential to improve tumor classification and risk prediction. By segmenting tumors into distinct habitat zones, it becomes possible to assess intratumoral heterogeneity more effectively. This study employs radiomics and machine learning techniques to enhance thymoma risk prediction, aiming to improve diagnostic consistency and reduce variability in radiologists' assessments. This study aims to identify different habitat zones within thymomas through CT imaging feature analysis and to establish a predictive model to differentiate between high and low-risk thymomas. Additionally, the study explores how this model can assist radiologists. We obtained CT imaging data from 133 patients with thymoma who were treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from 2015 to 2023. Images from the plain scan phase, venous phase, arterial phase, and their differential images (subtracted images) were used. Tumor regions were segmented into three habitat zones using K-Means clustering. Imaging features from each habitat zone were extracted using the PyRadiomics (van Griethuysen, 2017) library. The 28 most distinguishing features were selected through Mann-Whitney U tests (Mann, 1947) and Spearman's correlation analysis (Spearman, 1904). Five predictive models were built using the same machine learning algorithm (Support Vector Machine [SVM]): Habitat1, Habitat2, Habitat3 (trained on features from individual tumor habitat regions), Habitat All (trained on combined features from all regions), and Intra (trained on intratumoral features), and their performances were evaluated for comparison. The models' diagnostic outcomes were compared with the diagnoses of four radiologists (two junior and two experienced physicians). The AUC (area under curve) for habitat zone 1 was 0.818, for habitat zone 2 was 0.732, and for habitat zone 3 was 0.763. The comprehensive model, which combined data from all habitat zones, achieved an AUC of 0.960, outperforming the model based on traditional radiomic features (AUC of 0.720). The model significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of all four radiologists. The AUCs for junior radiologists 1 and 2 increased from 0.747 and 0.775 to 0.932 and 0.972, respectively, while for experienced radiologists 1 and 2, the AUCs increased from 0.932 and 0.859 to 0.977 and 0.972, respectively. This study successfully identified distinct habitat zones within thymomas through CT imaging feature analysis and developed an efficient predictive model that significantly improved diagnostic accuracy. This model offers a novel tool for risk assessment of thymomas and can aid in guiding clinical decision-making.

AimsAortic stenosis (AS) is a progressive disease requiring timely monitoring and intervention. While transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) remains the diagnostic standard, deep learning (DL)-based approaches offer potential for improved disease tracking. This study examined the longitudinal changes in a previously developed DL-derived index for AS continuum (DLi-ASc) and assessed its value in predicting progression to severe AS. Methods and ResultsWe retrospectively analysed 2,373 patients a(7,371 TTEs) from two tertiary hospitals. DLi-ASc (scaled 0-100), derived from parasternal long- and/or short-axis views, was tracked longitudinally. DLi-ASc increased in parallel with worsening AS stages (p for trend <0.001) and showed strong correlations with AV maximal velocity (Vmax) (Pearson correlation coefficients [PCC] = 0.69, p<0.001) and mean pressure gradient (mPG) (PCC = 0.66, p<0.001). Higher baseline DLi-ASc was associated with a faster AS progression rate (p for trend <0.001). Additionally, the annualised change in DLi-ASc, estimated using linear mixed-effect models, correlated strongly with the annualised progression of AV Vmax (PCC = 0.71, p<0.001) and mPG (PCC = 0.68, p<0.001). In Fine-Gray competing risk models, baseline DLi-ASc independently predicted progression to severe AS, even after adjustment for AV Vmax or mPG (hazard ratio per 10-point increase = 2.38 and 2.80, respectively) ConclusionDLi-ASc increased in parallel with AS progression and independently predicted severe AS progression. These findings support its role as a non-invasive imaging-based digital marker for longitudinal AS monitoring and risk stratification.

To summarize recent advancements in artificial intelligence-driven lesion segmentation and novel neuroimaging modalities that enhance the identification and characterization of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, emphasizing their implications for clinical use and research. Artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning approaches, are revolutionizing MS lesion assessment and segmentation, improving accuracy, reproducibility, and efficiency. Artificial intelligence-based tools now enable automated detection not only of T2-hyperintense white matter lesions, but also of specific lesion subtypes, including gadolinium-enhancing, central vein sign-positive, paramagnetic rim, cortical, and spinal cord lesions, which hold diagnostic and prognostic value. Novel neuroimaging techniques such as quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), χ-separation imaging, and soma and neurite density imaging (SANDI), together with PET, are providing deeper insights into lesion pathology, better disentangling their heterogeneities and clinical relevance. Artificial intelligence-powered lesion segmentation tools hold great potential for improving fast, accurate and reproducible lesional assessment in the clinical scenario, thus improving MS diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment response assessment. Emerging neuroimaging modalities may contribute to advance the understanding MS pathophysiology, provide more specific markers of disease progression, and novel potential therapeutic targets.

Cone-beam CT (CBCT) is crucial for patient alignment and target verification in radiation therapy (RT). However, for non-coplanar beams, potential collisions between the treatment couch and the on-board imaging system limit the range that the gantry can be rotated. Limited-angle measurements are often insufficient to generate high-quality volumetric images for image-domain registration, therefore limiting the use of CBCT for position verification. An alternative to image-domain registration is to use a few 2D projections acquired by the onboard kV imager to register with the 3D planning CT for patient position verification, which is referred to as 2D-3D registration. The 2D-3D registration involves converting the 3D volume into a set of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) expected to be comparable to the acquired 2D projections. The domain gap between the generated DRRs and the acquired projections can happen due to the inaccurate geometry modeling in DRR generation and artifacts in the actual acquisitions. We aim to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the challenging 2D-3D registration problem in non-coplanar RT with limited-angle CBCT scans. We designed an accelerated, dataset-free, and patient-specific 2D-3D registration framework based on an implicit neural representation (INR) network and a composite similarity measure. The INR network consists of a lightweight three-layer multilayer perception followed by average pooling to calculate rigid motion parameters, which are used to transform the original 3D volume to the moving position. The Radon transform and imaging specifications at the moving position are used to generate DRRs with higher accuracy. We designed a composite similarity measure consisting of pixel-wise intensity difference and gradient differences between the generated DRRs and acquired projections to further reduce the impact of their domain gap on registration accuracy. We evaluated the proposed method on both simulation data and real phantom data acquired from a Varian TrueBeam machine. Comparisons with a conventional non-deep-learning registration approach and ablation studies on the composite similarity measure were conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method. In the simulation data experiments, two X-ray projections of a head-and-neck image with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <semantics><msup><mn>45</mn> <mo>∘</mo></msup> <annotation>${45}^\circ$</annotation></semantics> </math> discrepancy were used for the registration. The accuracy of the registration results was evaluated on experiments set up at four different moving positions with ground-truth moving parameters. The proposed method achieved sub-millimeter accuracy in translations and sub-degree accuracy in rotations. In the phantom experiments, a head-and-neck phantom was scanned at three different positions involving couch translations and rotations. We achieved translation errors of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <semantics><mrow><mo><</mo> <mn>2</mn> <mspace></mspace> <mi>mm</mi></mrow> <annotation>$< 2\nobreakspace {\rm mm}$</annotation></semantics> </math> and subdegree accuracy for pitch and roll. Experiments on registration using different numbers of projections with varying angle discrepancies demonstrate the improved accuracy and robustness of the proposed method, compared to both the conventional registration approach and the proposed approach without certain components of the composite similarity measure. We proposed a dataset-free lightweight INR-based registration with a composite similarity measure for the challenging 2D-3D registration problem with limited-angle CBCT scans. Comprehensive evaluations of both simulation data and experimental phantom data demonstrated the efficiency, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed method.

This study aims to develop and validate a multiregional radiomics model to predict pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and further evaluate the performance of the model in different specific subgroups (N2 stage and anti-PD-1/PD-L1). 216 patients with NSCLC who underwent neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy followed by surgical intervention were included and assigned to training and validation sets randomly. From pre-treatment baseline CT, one intratumoral (T) and two peritumoral regions (P₃: 0-3 mm; P₆: 0-6 mm) were extracted. Five radiomics models were developed using machine learning algorithms to predict pCR, utilizing selected features from intratumoral (T), peritumoral (P₃, P₆), and combined intra- and peritumoral regions (T + P₃, T + P₆). Additionally, the predictive efficacy of the optimal model was specifically assessed for patients in the N2 stage and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 subgroups. A total of 51.4 % (111/216) of patients exhibited pCR following neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. Multivariable analysis identified that only the T + P₃ radiomics signature served as independent predictor of pCR (P < 0.001). The multiregional radiomics model (T + P₃) exhibited superior predictive performance for pCR, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75 in the validation cohort. Furthermore, this multiregional model maintained robust predictive accuracy in both N2 stage and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 subgroups, with an AUC of 0.829 and 0.833, respectively. The proposed multiregional radiomics model showed potential in predicting pCR in NSCLC after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, and demonstrated good predictive performance in different specific subgroups. This capability may assist clinicians in identifying suitable candidates for neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and promote the advancement in precision therapy.

Understanding the impact of epilepsy on pediatric brain tumors is crucial to diagnostic precision and optimal treatment selection. This study investigated MRI radiomics features, tumor location, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for gray matter density, and tumor volumetry to differentiate between children with low grade glioma (LGG)-associated epilepsies and those without, and further identified key radiomics features for predicting of epilepsy risk in children with supratentorial LGG to construct an epilepsy prediction model. A total of 206 radiomics features of tumors and voxel-based morphometric analysis of tumor location features were extracted from T2-FLAIR images in a primary cohort of 48 children with LGG with epilepsy (N = 23) or without epilepsy (N = 25), prior to surgery. Feature selection was performed using the minimum redundancy maximum relevance algorithm, and leave-one-out cross-validation was applied to assess the predictive performance of radiomics and tumor location signatures in differentiating epilepsy-associated LGG from non-epilepsy cases. Voxel-based morphometric analysis showed significant positive t-scores within bilateral temporal cortex and negative t-scores in basal ganglia between epilepsy and non-epilepsy groups. Eight radiomics features were identified as significant predictors of epilepsy in LGG, encompassing characteristics of 2 locations, 2 shapes, 1 image gray scale intensity, and 3 textures. The most important predictor was temporal lobe involvement, followed by high dependence high grey level emphasis, elongation, area density, information correlation 1, midbrain and intensity range. The Linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) model yielded the best prediction performance, when implemented with a combination of radiomics features and tumor location features, as evidenced by the following metrics: precision (0.955), recall (0.913), specificity (0.960), accuracy (0.938), F-1 score (0.933), and area under curve (AUC) (0.950). Our findings demonstrated the efficacy of machine learning models based on radiomics features and voxel-based anatomical locations in predicting the risk of epilepsy in supratentorial LGG. This model provides a highly accurate tool for distinguishing epilepsy-associated LGG in children, supporting precise treatment planning. Not applicable.

The standard approach to diagnosing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) includes identifying the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern via high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) or lung biopsy and excluding known causes of interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, limitations of manual interpretation of lung imaging, along with other reasons such as lack of relevant knowledge and non-specific symptoms have hindered the timely diagnosis of IPF. This review proposes the definition of early IPF, emphasizes the diagnostic urgency of early IPF, and highlights current diagnostic strategies and future prospects for early IPF. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), is revolutionizing the diagnostic procedure of early IPF by standardizing and accelerating the interpretation of thoracic images. Innovative bronchoscopic techniques such as transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC), genomic classifier, and endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT) provide less invasive diagnostic alternatives. In addition, chest auscultation, serum biomarkers, and susceptibility genes are pivotal for the indication of early diagnosis. Ongoing research is essential for refining diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for early IPF.

This retrospective study evaluates the diagnostic performance of an optimized comprehensive multi-stage framework based on the Segment Anything Model (SAM), which we named Dr-SAM, for detecting and grading vascular stenosis in the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries using digital subtraction angiography (DSA). A total of 100 DSA examinations were conducted on 100 patients. The infrarenal abdominal aorta (AAI), common iliac arteries (CIA), and external iliac arteries (EIA) were independently evaluated by two experienced radiologists using a standardized 5-point grading scale. Dr-SAM analyzed the same DSA images, and its assessments were compared with the average stenosis grading provided by the radiologists. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using Cohen's kappa, specificity, sensitivity, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Interobserver agreement between radiologists, which established the reference standard, was strong (Cohen's kappa: CIA right = 0.95, CIA left = 0.94, EIA right = 0.98, EIA left = 0.98, AAI = 0.79). Dr-SAM showed high agreement with radiologist consensus for CIA (κ = 0.93 right, 0.91 left), moderate agreement for EIA (κ = 0.79 right, 0.76 left), and fair agreement for AAI (κ = 0.70). Dr-SAM demonstrated excellent specificity (up to 1.0) and robust sensitivity (0.67-0.83). Wilcoxon tests revealed no significant differences between Dr-SAM and radiologist grading (p > 0.05). Dr-SAM proved to be an accurate and efficient tool for vascular assessment, with the potential to streamline diagnostic workflows and reduce variability in stenosis grading. Its ability to deliver rapid and consistent evaluations may contribute to earlier detection of disease and the optimization of treatment strategies. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in prospective settings and to enhance its capabilities, particularly in the detection of occlusions.