Deep learning model for diagnosis of thyroid nodules with size less than 1 cm: A multicenter, retrospective study
Objective: To develop a ultrasound images based dual-channel deep learning model to achieve accurate early diagnosis of thyroid nodules less than 1 cm. Methods: A dual-channel deep learning model called thyroid nodule transformer network (TNT-Net) was proposed. The model has two input channels for t...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Radiology Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352047724000649 |
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| Summary: | Objective: To develop a ultrasound images based dual-channel deep learning model to achieve accurate early diagnosis of thyroid nodules less than 1 cm. Methods: A dual-channel deep learning model called thyroid nodule transformer network (TNT-Net) was proposed. The model has two input channels for transverse and longitudinal ultrasound images of thyroid nodules, respectively. A total of 9649 nodules from 8455 patients across five hospitals were retrospectively collected. The data were divided into a training set (8453 nodules, 7369 patients), an internal test set (565 nodules, 512 patients), and an external test set (631 nodules, 574 patients). Results: TNT-Net achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.953 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.934, 0.969) on the internal test set and 0.941 (95 % CI: 0.921, 0.957) on the external test set, significantly outperforming traditional deep convolutional neural network models and single-channel swin transformer model, whose AUCs ranged from 0.800 (95 % CI: 0.759, 0.837) to 0.856 (95 % CI: 0.819, 0.881). Furthermore, feature heatmap visualization showed that TNT-Net could extract richer and more energetic malignant nodule patterns. Conclusion: The proposed TNT-Net model significantly improved the recognition capability for thyroid nodules with size less than 1 cm. This model has the potential to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment of such nodules, providing essential support for precise management of thyroid nodules while complementing fine-needle aspiration biopsy. |
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| ISSN: | 2352-0477 |