Title
AVRA: Automatic Visual Ratings of Atrophy from MRI images using Recurrent Convolutional Neural Networks.
Abstract
Quantifying the degree of atrophy is done clinically by neuroradiologists following established visual rating scales. For these assessments to be reliable the rater requires substantial training and experience, and even then the rating agreement between two radiologists is not perfect. We have developed a model we call AVRA (Automatic Visual Ratings of Atrophy) based on machine learning methods and trained on 2350 visual ratings made by an experienced neuroradiologist. It provides fast and automatic ratings for Scheltens' scale of medial temporal atrophy (MTA), the frontal subscale of Pasquier's Global Cortical Atrophy (GCA-F) scale, and Koedam's scale of Posterior Atrophy (PA). We demonstrate substantial inter-rater agreement between AVRA's and a neuroradiologist ratings with Cohen's weighted kappa values of κw = 0.74/0.72 (MTA left/right), κw = 0.62 (GCA-F) and κw = 0.74 (PA). We conclude that automatic visual ratings of atrophy can potentially have great scientific value, and aim to present AVRA as a freely available toolbox.
Year
DOI
Venue
2019
10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101872
NeuroImage: Clinical
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Atrophy,Visual ratings,Machine learning,MRI,Neuroimaging,Radiology
Journal
23
ISSN
Citations 
PageRank 
2213-1582
2
0.39
References 
Authors
20
7