Transfer Learning for Automated Two-class Classification of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Chest X-Ray Images

Aim Early and precise diagnosis is essential for effectively treating and managing pulmonary tuberculosis. The purpose of this research is to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to expedite the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) using chest X-ray (CXR) images. Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an aerobic bacterium, is the causative agent of TB. The disease remains a global health challenge, particularly in densely populated countries. Early detection via chest X-rays is crucial, but limited medical expertise hampers timely diagnosis. Objective This study explores the application of CNNs, a highly efficient method, for automated TB detection, especially in areas with limited medical expertise. Methods Previously trained models, specifically VGG-16, VGG-19, ResNet 50, and Inception v3, were used to validate the data. Effective feature extraction and classification in medical image analysis, especially in TB diagnosis, is facilitated by the distinct design and capabilities that each model offers. VGG-16 and VGG-19 are very good at identifying minute distinctions and hierarchical characteristics from CXR images; on the other hand, ResNet 50 avoids overfitting while retaining both low and high-level features. The inception v3 model is quite useful for examining various complex patterns in a CXR image with its capacity to extract multi-scale features. Results Inception v3 outperformed other models, attaining 97.60% accuracy without pre-processing and 98.78% with pre-processing. Conclusion The proposed model shows promising results as a tool for improving TB diagnosis, and reducing the global impact of the disease, but further validation with larger and more diverse datasets is needed.