Interpretable deep learning regression for breast density estimation on MRI

Bas H.M. Van Der Velden, Max A.A. Ragusi, Markus H.A. Janse, Claudette E. Loo, Kenneth G.A. Gilhuijs

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Breast density, which is the ratio between fibroglandular tissue (FGT) and total breast volume, can be assessed qualitatively by radiologists and quantitatively by computer algorithms. These algorithms often rely on segmentation of breast and FGT volume. In this study, we propose a method to directly assess breast density on MRI, and provide interpretations of these assessments. We assessed breast density in 506 patients with breast cancer using a regression convolutional neural network (CNN). The input for the CNN were slices of breast MRI of 128 × 128 voxels, and the output was a continuous density value between 0 (fatty breast) and 1 (dense breast). We used 350 patients to train the CNN, 75 for validation, and 81 for independent testing. We investigated why the CNN came to its predicted density using Deep SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). The density predicted by the CNN on the testing set was significantly correlated with the ground truth densities (N = 81 patients, Spearman's ρ = 0:86, P < 0:001). When inspecting what the CNN based its predictions on, we found that voxels in FGT commonly had positive SHAP-values, voxels in fatty tissue commonly had negative SHAP-values, and voxels in non-breast tissue commonly had SHAP-values near zero. This means that the prediction of density is based on the structures we expect it to be based on, namely FGT and fatty tissue. To conclude, we presented an interpretable deep learning regression method for breast density estimation on MRI with promising results.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMedical Imaging 2020
Subtitle of host publicationComputer-Aided Diagnosis
EditorsHorst K. Hahn, Maciej A. Mazurowski
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510633957
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2020
EventMedical Imaging 2020: Computer-Aided Diagnosis - Houston, United States
Duration: 16 Feb 202019 Feb 2020

Publication series

NameProgress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume11314
ISSN (Print)1605-7422

Conference

ConferenceMedical Imaging 2020: Computer-Aided Diagnosis
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityHouston
Period16/02/2019/02/20

Keywords

  • breast density
  • cnn regression
  • deep shap
  • interpretable deep learning
  • mri
  • shapley additive explanations

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