AI model can generate 3D brain MRI images while addressing data scarcity and privacy concerns

A novel artificial intelligence approach can generate 3D brain MRI images using semantic segmentation masks, offering a breakthrough in medical image synthesis and privacy protection.

This new diffusion model, called Med-DDPM, was introduced by a team of researchers from Taiwan, led by Dr. Furen Xiao from National Taiwan University and Dr. Hsing-Kuo Pao from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.

The study was recently published in the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics.

Medical imaging is crucial for health care, yet AI applications in this area are often limited by data scarcity and patient privacy concerns. The Med-DDPM model addresses these challenges through “semantic conditioning,” a method that incorporates pixel-level mask images into the diffusion process to guide the generation of anatomically coherent 3D MRIs.

Med-DDPM sets itself apart from existing generative models, such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), by avoiding common issues like mode collapse and spatial inconsistencies. It is also capable of generating brain MRIs across multiple modalities—T1, T1CE, T2, and FLAIR—using only mask inputs.

In a brain tumor segmentation task, Med-DDPM’s synthetic images achieved a dice score of 0.6207, closely matching the performance of real images (0.6531). Furthermore, when synthetic images were combined with real data, segmentation accuracy improved to 0.6675, demonstrating the model’s potential for data augmentation.

“Med-DDPM offers a reliable solution for generating high-quality, anatomically accurate 3D MRIs, addressing both data limitations and privacy issues,” the researchers explain.

Its ability to generate both normal and pathological brain images from masks makes it highly versatile for various medical imaging applications. Moreover, Med-DDPM’s potential for anonymizing medical data ensures privacy when sharing clinical information.

The research team has made the synthetic dataset of brain pathological MRIs and segmentation masks publicly available. In addition, the code and model weights for Med-DDPM can be accessed on GitHub, encouraging further research and development in the field.

As the first diffusion model designed for 3D semantic brain MRI synthesis, Med-DDPM opens new possibilities for AI-driven medical imaging, particularly in health care environments where resources are limited.

Provided by
National Taiwan University