Clinical decision support systems for brain tumor characterization using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques.
In recent years, advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and perfusion weighted imaging have been used in order to resolve demanding diagnostic problems such as brain tumor characterization and grading, as these techniques offer a more detailed and non-invasive evaluation of the area under study. In the last decade a great effort has been made to import and utilize intelligent systems in the so-called clinical decision support systems (CDSS) for automatic processing, classification, evaluation and representation of MRI data in order for advanced MRI techniques to become a part of the clinical routine, since the amount of data from the aforementioned techniques has gradually increased. Hence, the purpose of the current review article is two-fold. The first is to review and evaluate the progress that has been made towards the utilization of CDSS based on data from advanced MRI techniques. The second is to analyze and propose the future work that has to be done, based on the existing problems and challenges, especially taking into account the new imaging techniques and parameters that can be introduced into intelligent systems to significantly improve their diagnostic specificity and clinical application.
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Evangelia
E
Tsolaki
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Evanthia
E
Kousi
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Patricia
P
Svolos
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Efthychia
E
Kapsalaki
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Kyriaki
K
Theodorou
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Constastine
C
Kappas
Evangelia Tsolaki, Evanthia Kousi, Patricia Svolos, Kyriaki Theodorou, Constastine Kappas, Ioannis Tsougos, Medical Physics Department, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41110 Larissa, Greece.
Ioannis
I
Tsougos
Decision support systems; Diffusion tensor imaging; Diffusion weighted imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Pattern recognition; Perfusion weighted imaging