A Methodological Framework for AI-Assisted Diagnosis of Ovarian Masses Using CT and MR Imaging.

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer encompasses a diverse range of neoplasms originating in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and peritoneum. Despite being one of the commonest gynaecological malignancies, there are no validated screening strategies for early detection. A diagnosis typically relies on imaging, biomarkers, and multidisciplinary team discussions. The accurate interpretation of CTs and MRIs may be challenging, especially in borderline cases. This study proposes a methodological pipeline to develop and evaluate deep learning (DL) models that can assist in classifying ovarian masses from CT and MRI data, potentially improving diagnostic confidence and patient outcomes. Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective dataset was compiled, supplemented by external data from the Cancer Genome Atlas. Two classification workflows were examined: (1) whole-volume input and (2) lesion-focused region of interest. Multiple DL architectures, including ResNet, DenseNet, transformer-based UNeST, and Attention Multiple-Instance Learning (MIL), were implemented within the PyTorch-based MONAI framework. The class imbalance was mitigated using focal loss, oversampling, and dynamic class weighting. The hyperparameters were optimised with Optuna, and balanced accuracy was the primary metric. Results: For a preliminary dataset, the proposed framework demonstrated feasibility for the multi-class classification of ovarian masses. The initial experiments highlighted the potential of transformers and MIL for identifying the relevant imaging features. Conclusions: A reproducible methodological pipeline for DL-based ovarian mass classification using CT and MRI scans has been established. Future work will leverage a multi-institutional dataset to refine these models, aiming to enhance clinical workflows and improve patient outcomes.