title: Automatic face classification of Cushing's syndrome in women - a novel screening approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cushing's syndrome causes considerable harm to the body if left untreated, yet often remains undiagnosed for prolonged periods of time. In this study we aimed to test whether face classification software might help in discriminating patients with Cushing's syndrome from healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a regular digital camera, we took frontal and profile pictures of 20 female patients with Cushing's syndrome and 40 sex- and age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-automatic analysis of the pictures was performed by comparing texture and geometry within a grid of nodes placed on the pictures. The leave-one-out cross-validation method was employed to classify subjects by the software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The software correctly classified 85.0% of patients and 95.0% of controls, resulting in a total classification accuracy of 91.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this preliminary analysis we found a good classification accuracy of Cushing's syndrome by face classification software. Testing accuracy is comparable to that of currently employed screening tests.
authors.affiliation: Med. Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kosilek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schopohl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grunke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reincke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dimopoulou
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Stalla
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Würtz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lammert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001331:Automation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005145:Face / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids