title: Detecting and classifying linear structures in mammograms using random forests.
abstract: Detecting and classifying curvilinear structure is important in many image interpretation tasks. We focus on the challenging problem of detecting such structure in mammograms and deciding whether it is normal or abnormal. We adopt a discriminative learning approach based on a Dual-Tree Complex Wavelet representation and random forest classification. We present results of a quantitative comparison of our approach with three leading methods from the literature and with learning-based variants of those methods. We show that our new approach gives significantly better results than any of the other methods, achieving an area under the ROC curve A(z) = 0.923 for curvilinear structure detection, and A(z) = 0.761 for distinguishing between normal and abnormal structure (spicules). A detailed analysis suggests that some of the improvement is due to discriminative learning, and some due to the DT-CWT representation, which provides local phase information and good angular resolution.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Science and Biomedical Engineering, School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK. michael.berks@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berks
authors.forename: Zezhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Astley
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity