Deep learning-based classification for lung opacities in chest x-ray radiographs through batch control and sensitivity regulation

In this study, we implemented a system to classify lung opacities from frontal chest x-ray radiographs. We also proposed a training method to address the class imbalance problem presented in the dataset. We participated in the Radiological Society of America (RSNA) 2018 Pneumonia Detection Challenge and used the datasets provided by the RSNA for further research. Using convolutional neural networks, we implemented a training procedure termed batch control to manipulate the data distribution of positive and negative cases in each training batch. The batch control method regulated and stabilized the performance of the deep-learning models, allowing the adaptive sensitivity of the network models to meet the specific application. The convolutional neural network is practical for classifying lung opacities on chest x-ray radiographs. The batch control method is advantageous for sensitivity regulation and optimization for class-unbalanced datasets.