title: Chagas parasite detection in blood images using AdaBoost.
abstract: The Chagas disease is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. Visual detection of such parasite through microscopic inspection is a tedious and time-consuming task. In this paper, we provide an AdaBoost learning solution to the task of Chagas parasite detection in blood images. We give details of the algorithm and our experimental setup. With this method, we get 100% and 93.25% of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. A ROC comparison with the method most commonly used for the detection of malaria parasites based on support vector machines (SVM) is also provided. Our experimental work shows mainly two things: (1) Chagas parasites can be detected automatically using machine learning methods with high accuracy and (2) AdaBoost + SVM provides better overall detection performance than AdaBoost or SVMs alone. Such results are the best ones known so far for the problem of automatic detection of Chagas parasites through the use of machine learning, computer vision, and image processing methods.
authors: Facultad de Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Anillo Periférico Norte, Tablaje Catastral, 13615 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors: Víctor
authors: V
authors: Uc-Cetina
authors: Facultad de Matemáticas, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Anillo Periférico Norte, Tablaje Catastral, 13615 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Brito-Loeza
authors: Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Avenida, Itzáes No. 490 x 59, Colonia Centro, 97000 Mérida, YUC, Mexico.
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Ruiz-Piña
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D060388:Support Vector Machine; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000302:isolation & purification*