CT-Based Super-Resolution Deep Learning Models with Attention Mechanisms for Predicting Spread Through Air Spaces of Solid or Part-Solid Lung Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Rationale and objectives: Spread through air space (STAS) is a novel invasive pattern of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and preoperative knowledge of STAS status is helpful in choosing an appropriate surgical approach.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study collected and analyzed 602 patients diagnosed with LUAD from two medical centers: center 1 was randomly partitioned into training (n = 358) and validation cohorts (n = 154) at a 7:3 ratio; and center 2 was the external test cohort (n = 90). Super resolution was performed on all images to acquire high-resolution images, which were used to train the SE-ResNet50 model, before creating an equivalent parameter ResNet50 model. Disparities were compared between the two models using receiver operating characteristic curves, area under the curve, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity.

Results: In this study, 512 and 90 patients with LUAD were enrolled from centers 1 and 2, respectively. The curve values of the SE-ResNet50 and ResNet50 models were compared for training, validation, and test cohorts, resulting in values of 0.933 vs 0.909, 0.783 vs 0.728, and 0.806 vs 0.695, respectively. In the external test cohort, the accuracy of the SE-ResNet50 model demonstrated a 10% improvement over the ResNet50 model (82.2% vs 72.2%).

Conclusion: The SE-ResNet50 model based on computed tomography super-resolution has great potential for predicting STAS status in patients with solid or partially solid LUAD, with superior predictive performance compared to traditional deep learning models.

Keywords: Computer tomography; Deep learning; Lung cancer; Spread through air spaces.