让膝关节骨性关节炎分级可解释,预测更可信。
Knee-xRAI: An Explainable AI Framework for Automatic Kellgren-Lawrence Grading of Knee Osteoarthritis

- 分步量化关节间隙狭窄、骨赘和硬化,模拟医生阅片流程。
- 部署路径准确率超84%,比人类专家更稳定。
- 能清晰展示每项影像特征对诊断的影响,适合临床使用。
在普通X光片上评估膝关节骨性关节炎(KOA)的分级存在阅片者间一致性差的问题,单级差异可能改变治疗方案。深度学习模型虽性能超越人类,但缺乏决策解释。本文提出Knee-xRAI框架,通过模拟临床放射科工作流程,分别独立测量关节间隙狭窄(JSN)、骨赘和软骨下硬化,再融合为可解释的Kellgren-Lawrence(KL)分级。具体采用U-Net++进行轮廓分割量化JSN,SE-ResNet-50多任务网络按解剖部位评估骨赘(OARSI标准),混合纹理-CNN检测硬化二值图。生成50维特征向量,经XGBoost-SHAP分类器(路径A,审计用)与ConvNeXt混合预测器(路径B,部署用)处理。在8,260例来自OAI的数据上,JSN模块达Dice分数0.8909,平均关节间隙宽度组内相关系数(mJSW ICC)0.8674。路径A获加权κ系数(QWK)0.6294,AUC 0.8046,证实特征向量具强诊断信号;路径B QWK达0.8436,AUC 0.9017。SHAP分析显示,关节间隙狭窄是主导因素,骨赘贡献稳定增量,硬化影响较小。去除关节间隙证据后,KL3-KL4召回率大幅下降,早期等级仍保持,符合KL分级标准。Knee-xRAI将每项预测锚定于可审计的影像测量链条,实现临床诊疗中的透明化决策。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Grading knee osteoarthritis (KOA) on plain radiographs is poorly reproducible across readers. A single-grade disagreement on the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scale can alter surgical management or redirect a patient from conservative therapy to intra-articular injection. Meanwhile, deep learning models that outperform human readers often offer no explanation for their decisions. We present Knee-xRAI, a pipeline that decomposes the grading process by mimicking clinical radiological workflows. It independently measures joint space narrowing (JSN), osteophytes, and subchondral sclerosis, then combines these findings into an explainable KL grade. Specifically, a U-Net++ architecture quantifies JSN via contour segmentation, an SE-ResNet-50 multi-task network grades osteophytes per anatomical site on the OARSI scale, and a hybrid texture-CNN detects binary sclerosis. This pipeline yields a 50-dimensional feature vector evaluated via an XGBoost-SHAP classifier (Path A, audit) and a ConvNeXt hybrid predictor (Path B, deployed). On 8,260 OAI-derived radiographs, the JSN module achieved a Dice score of 0.8909 and an mJSW ICC of 0.8674. Path A reached a QWK of 0.6294 and an AUC of 0.8046, confirming the structured feature vector carries substantial diagnostic signal. Path B achieved a QWK of 0.8436 and an AUC of 0.9017. SHAP analysis identifies JSN as the dominant feature, with osteophytes adding a consistent increment and sclerosis contributing marginally. Removing JSN evidence collapses KL3-KL4 recall while early grades remain intact, aligning with the KL diagnostic criteria. Knee-xRAI grounds every prediction in an auditable chain of measured radiographic findings, providing clinical transparency at the point of care.
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