Automated segmentation and prediction of intervertebral disc morphology and uniaxial deformations from MRI

Deep learning assisted segmentation of the lumbar intervertebral disc: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In recent years, deep learning (DL) technology has been increasingly used for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. This study aims to evaluate the performance of DL technology for IVD segmentation in magnetic resonance (MR) images and explore improvement strategies.

METHODS

We developed a PRISMA systematic review protocol and systematically reviewed studies that used DL algorithm frameworks to perform IVD segmentation based on MR images published up to April 10, 2024. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was used to assess methodological quality, and the pooled dice similarity coefficient (DSC) score and Intersection over Union (IoU) were calculated to evaluate segmentation performance.

RESULTS

45 studies were included in this systematic review, of which 16 provided complete segmentation performance data and were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. The results indicated that DL models showed satisfactory IVD segmentation performance, with a pooled DSC of 0.900 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.887-0.914) and IoU of 0.863 (95% CI: 0.730-0.995). However, the subgroup analysis did not show significant effects of factors on IVD segmentation performance, including network dimensionality, algorithm type, publication year, number of patients, scanning direction, data augmentation, and cross-validation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the potential of DL technology in IVD segmentation and its further applications. However, due to the heterogeneity in algorithm frameworks and result reporting of the included studies, the conclusions should be interpreted with caution. Future research should focus on training generalized models on large-scale datasets to enhance their clinical application.

Using ChatGPT for Clinical Practice and Medical Education: Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical Students' and Physicians' Perceptions

BACKGROUND

ChatGPT is a well-known large language model-based chatbot. It could be used in the medical field in many aspects. However, some physicians are still unfamiliar with ChatGPT and are concerned about its benefits and risks.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to evaluate the perception of physicians and medical students toward using ChatGPT in the medical field.

METHODS

A web-based questionnaire was sent to medical students, interns, residents, and attending staff with questions regarding their perception toward using ChatGPT in clinical practice and medical education. Participants were also asked to rate their perception of ChatGPT's generated response about knee osteoarthritis.

RESULTS

Participants included 124 medical students, 46 interns, 37 residents, and 32 attending staff. After reading ChatGPT's response, 132 of the 239 (55.2%) participants had a positive rating about using ChatGPT for clinical practice. The proportion of positive answers was significantly lower in graduated physicians (48/115, 42%) compared with medical students (84/124, 68%; P<.001). Participants listed a lack of a patient-specific treatment plan, updated evidence, and a language barrier as ChatGPT's pitfalls. Regarding using ChatGPT for medical education, the proportion of positive responses was also significantly lower in graduate physicians (71/115, 62%) compared to medical students (103/124, 83.1%; P<.001). Participants were concerned that ChatGPT's response was too superficial, might lack scientific evidence, and might need expert verification.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical students generally had a positive perception of using ChatGPT for guiding treatment and medical education, whereas graduated doctors were more cautious in this regard. Nonetheless, both medical students and graduated doctors positively perceived using ChatGPT for creating patient educational materials.