I-Corps: Standardized MRI Interpretation for Low Back Pain Diagnosis

该项目结合了来自大型临床磁共振成像（MRI）数据集的基于机器学习的新方法。这些方法结合了高水平和低水平的成像特征，包括椎间盘位置、形状和强度。此外，这些方法将盘结构建模为马尔可夫链以使得能够利用邻域信息。除了成像特征之外，这些方法还利用患者元数据，包括患者年龄、身高、体重、疼痛和残疾评分、患者病史和体格检查结果。这些特征的可用性为腰痛的诊断提供了信息。这些方法产生无偏倚和可重复的解释。该技术能够提供标准化、无偏倚和可重复的MRI解释。许多人受到腰痛的影响，这是与工作有关的残疾背后最常见的原因。它是一种突出的慢性疾病，对人们的生活造成重大破坏。据估计，美国每年至少花费500亿美元用于腰痛患者的诊断和相关康复。此外，相关的个性化治疗和康复费用很高，往往需要负责支付医疗保健费用的保险提供者的特别预先批准才能接受治疗。目前临床上最常见的腰痛诊断标准是MRI检查，MRI的诊断解释是高度主观的。所有后续治疗建议均基于主观报告。该技术可能能够基于标准化方案提供MRI解释，这将显著影响治疗计划结果并最大限度地减少过度治疗。

The proposed project incorporates novel machine learning based methods from a large clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) dataset. These methods incorporate high- and low-level imaging features including intervertebral disc location, shape, and intensity. Moreover, these methods model the disc structure as a Markov chain to enable neighborhood information utilization. In addition to the imaging features, these methods utilize patient meta-data including patient age, height, weight, pain and disability score, patient history, and physical exam findings. The availability of these features provides information for the diagnosis of low back pain. These methods generate unbiased and reproducible interpretation. This technology is capable of providing standardized, unbiased, and reproducible MRI interpretation. Many people are affected by low back pain and it is the most common reason behind job-related disability. It is a prominent chronic disease that causes major disruption in people's lives. An annual estimate of at least $50 billion is spent in the United States on diagnosis and related rehabilitation of low back pain patients. Moreover, the associated individualized treatment and rehabilitation cost is significant and often requires special pre-approval to undergo treatment from the insurance providers responsible for paying for health care costs. The most common current clinically approved standard for low back pain diagnosis is MRI testing and the diagnostic interpretation of MRIs is highly subjective. All subsequent therapeutic recommendations are based on the subjective report. This technology may be able to provide the MRI interpretation based on a standardized protocol will significantly impact the treatment plan outcome and minimize overtreatment.