arXiv:2504.11469eess.IVcs.AI2025-04

用可视化方法发现血管分割模型依赖局部特征,忽略整体结构。

Do Segmentation Models Understand Vascular Structure? A Blob-Based XAI Framework

  • 结合梯度归因与血管图谱,定位关键解剖点并分析注意力分布。
  • 模型注意力集中在关键点附近的小区域,对血管粗细、连通性等无显著响应。
  • 适合关注医学图像模型可解释性与血管分割局限性的研究者。

深度学习在医学图像分割中表现优异,但其黑箱特性限制了临床应用。在血管分割中,可信的分割应同时依赖局部图像线索和全局解剖结构(如血管连通性或分支)。然而,现有模型利用此类全局上下文的程度尚不明确。本文提出一种用于3D血管分割的新型可解释性分析框架,结合基于梯度的归因、图引导的点选择以及基于斑块(blob)的显著性图分析。通过从真实标注中提取的血管图谱,定义解剖学上有意义的关键点(POIs),并利用显著性图评估输入体素的贡献。采用自定义斑块检测器,在全局与局部尺度上分析这些贡献。在IRCAD与Bullitt数据集上的结果表明,模型决策主要由集中在关键点附近的局部显著性斑块主导。显著性特征与血管层级属性(如厚度、管状度、连通性)的相关性极低,表明模型对全局解剖推理的使用有限。研究强调了结构化可解释工具的重要性,并揭示当前分割模型在捕捉全局血管结构方面的不足。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Deep learning models have achieved impressive performance in medical image segmentation, yet their black-box nature limits clinical adoption. In vascular applications, trustworthy segmentation should rely on both local image cues and global anatomical structures, such as vessel connectivity or branching. However, the extent to which models leverage such global context remains unclear. We present a novel explainability pipeline for 3D vessel segmentation, combining gradient-based attribution with graph-guided point selection and a blob-based analysis of Saliency maps. Using vascular graphs extracted from ground truth, we define anatomically meaningful points of interest (POIs) and assess the contribution of input voxels via Saliency maps. These are analyzed at both global and local scales using a custom blob detector. Applied to IRCAD and Bullitt datasets, our analysis shows that model decisions are dominated by highly localized attribution blobs centered near POIs. Attribution features show little correlation with vessel-level properties such as thickness, tubularity, or connectivity -- suggesting limited use of global anatomical reasoning. Our results underline the importance of structured explainability tools and highlight the current limitations of segmentation models in capturing global vascular context.

可解释性血管分割深度学习

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