Deep convolutional neural network based hyperspectral brain tissue classification

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hyperspectral brain tissue imaging has been recently utilized in medical research aiming to study brain science and obtain various biological phenomena of the different tissue types. However, processing high-dimensional data of hyperspectral images (HSI) is challenging due to the minimum availability of training samples. OBJECTIVE: To overcome this challenge, this study proposes applying a 3D-CNN (convolution neural network) model to process spatial and temporal features and thus improve performance of tumor image classification. METHODS: A 3D-CNN model is implemented as a testing method for dealing with high-dimensional problems. The HSI pre-processing is accomplished using distinct approaches such as hyperspectral cube creation, calibration, spectral correction, and normalization. Both spectral and spatial features are extracted from HSI. The Benchmark Vivo human brain HSI dataset is used to validate the performance of the proposed classification model. RESULTS: The proposed 3D-CNN model achieves a higher accuracy of 97% for brain tissue classification, whereas the existing linear conventional support vector machine (SVM) and 2D-CNN model yield 95% and 96% classification accuracy, respectively. Moreover, the maximum F1-score obtained by the proposed 3D-CNN model is 97.3%, which is 2.5% and 11.0% higher than the F1-scores obtained by 2D-CNN model and SVM model, respectively. CONCLUSION: A 3D-CNN model is developed for brain tissue classification by using HIS dataset. The study results demonstrate the advantages of using the new 3D-CNN model, which can achieve higher brain tissue classification accuracy than conventional 2D-CNN model and SVM model.