A Deep Learning-Based Detection and Segmentation System for Multimodal Ultrasound Images in the Evaluation of Superficial Lymph Node Metastases

Background/Objectives: Even with today's advancements, cancer still represents a major cause of mortality worldwide. One important aspect of cancer progression that has a big impact on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plans is accurate lymph node metastasis evaluation. However, regardless of the imaging method used, this process is challenging and time-consuming. This research aimed to develop and validate an automatic detection and segmentation system for superficial lymph node evaluation based on multimodal ultrasound images, such as traditional B-mode, Doppler, and elastography, using deep learning techniques. Methods: The suggested approach incorporated a Mask R-CNN architecture designed specifically for the detection and segmentation of lymph nodes. The pipeline first involved noise reduction preprocessing, after which morphological and textural feature segmentation and analysis were performed. Vascularity and stiffness parameters were further examined in Doppler and elastography pictures. Metrics, including accuracy, mean average precision (mAP), and dice coefficient, were used to assess the system's performance during training and validation on a carefully selected dataset of annotated ultrasound pictures. Results: During testing, the Mask R-CNN model showed an accuracy of 92.56%, a COCO AP score of 60.7 and a validation score of 64. Furter on, to improve diagnostic capabilities, Doppler and elastography data were added. This allowed for improved performance across several types of ultrasound images and provided thorough insights into the morphology, vascularity, and stiffness of lymph nodes. Conclusions: This paper offers a novel use of deep learning for automated lymph node assessment in ultrasound imaging. This system offers a dependable tool for doctors to evaluate lymph node metastases efficiently by fusing sophisticated segmentation techniques with multimodal image processing. It has the potential to greatly enhance patient outcomes and diagnostic accuracy.