Computer-Aided Grading of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) using HRCT

Proc IAPR Int Conf Pattern Recogn. 2008 Jan 23;2008(8-11 Dec. 2008):1-4. doi: 10.1109/ICPR.2008.4760991.

Abstract

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a multisystem disorder associated with proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells, which leads to destruction of lung parenchyma. Subjective grading of LAM on HRCT is imprecise and can be arduous especially in cases with severe involvement. We propose a computer-aided evaluation system that grades LAM involvement based on analysis of lung texture patterns. A committee of support vector machines is employed for classification. The system was tested on 36 patients. The computer grade demonstrates good correlation with subjective radiologist grade (R=0.91, p<0.0001) and pulmonary functional tests (R=0.85, p<0.0001). The grade also provides precise progression assessment of disease over time.