Stepwise Transfer Learning for Expert-level Pediatric Brain Tumor MRI Segmentation in a Limited Data Scenario

Purpose To develop, externally test, and evaluate clinical acceptability of a deep learning pediatric brain tumor segmentation model using stepwise transfer learning. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, the authors leveraged two T2-weighted MRI datasets (May 2001 through December 2015) from a national brain tumor consortium (n = 184; median age, 7 years range, 1-23 years; 94 male patients) and a pediatric cancer center (n = 100; median age, 8 years range, 1-19 years; 47 male patients) to develop and evaluate deep learning neural networks for pediatric low-grade glioma segmentation using a stepwise transfer learning approach to maximize performance in a limited data scenario. The best model was externally tested on an independent test set and subjected to randomized blinded evaluation by three clinicians, wherein they assessed clinical acceptability of expert- and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated segmentations via 10-point Likert scales and Turing tests. Results The best AI model used in-domain stepwise transfer learning (median Dice score coefficient, 0.88 IQR, 0.72-0.91 vs 0.812 IQR, 0.56-0.89 for baseline model; P = .049). With external testing, the AI model yielded excellent accuracy using reference standards from three clinical experts (median Dice similarity coefficients: expert 1, 0.83 IQR, 0.75-0.90; expert 2, 0.81 IQR, 0.70-0.89; expert 3, 0.81 IQR, 0.68-0.88; mean accuracy, 0.82). For clinical benchmarking (n = 100 scans), experts rated AI-based segmentations higher on average compared with other experts (median Likert score, 9 IQR, 7-9 vs 7 IQR 7-9) and rated more AI segmentations as clinically acceptable (80.2% vs 65.4%). Experts correctly predicted the origin of AI segmentations in an average of 26.0% of cases. Conclusion Stepwise transfer learning enabled expert-level automated pediatric brain tumor autosegmentation and volumetric measurement with a high level of clinical acceptability. Keywords: Stepwise Transfer Learning, Pediatric Brain Tumors, MRI Segmentation, Deep Learning Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2024.