SkinSage XAI: An explainable deep learning solution for skin lesion diagnosis.

Abstract

Background: Skin cancer poses a significant global health threat, with early detection being essential for successful treatment. While deep learning algorithms have greatly enhanced the categorization of skin lesions, the black-box nature of many models limits interpretability, posing challenges for dermatologists.

Methods: To address these limitations, SkinSage XAI utilizes advanced explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques for skin lesion categorization. A data set of around 50,000 images from the Customized HAM10000, selected for diversity, serves as the foundation. The Inception v3 model is used for classification, supported by gradient-weighted class activation mapping and local interpretable model-agnostic explanations algorithms, which provide clear visual explanations for model outputs.

Results: SkinSage XAI demonstrated high performance, accurately categorizing seven types of skin lesions-dermatofibroma, benign keratosis, melanocytic nevus, vascular lesion, actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. It achieved an accuracy of 96%, with precision at 96.42%, recall at 96.28%, f ₁ score at 96.14%, and an area under the curve of 99.83%.

Conclusions: SkinSage XAI represents a significant advancement in dermatology and artificial intelligence by bridging gaps in accuracy and explainability. The system provides transparent, accurate diagnoses, improving decision-making for dermatologists and potentially enhancing patient outcomes.