Integrative AI for Medical Diagnosis: Enhancing Interpretation through Text-Image Fusion

University of West London – School of Computing and Engineering


Principal Supervisor

Dr Nasim Dadashi

Proposed PhD Project


Introduction:
Medical diagnosis is a complex process that relies on a combination of clinical expertise, diagnostic tests, and patient information. However, the current diagnostic approach faces several challenges, including variability in interpretations, limitations of traditional diagnostic methods, and the increasing volume of medical data. Integrative AI has emerged as a promising approach to address these challenges and revolutionise the way diseases are diagnosed and treated. Integrative AI for diagnosis utilises artificial intelligence (AI) to combine information from multiple sources, including text, images, and electronic health records (EHRs), to provide a more comprehensive and accurate diagnosis. This approach has the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional methods and improve patient care.

Integrative AI: A Paradigm Shift in Diagnosis:
Integrative AI for diagnosis addresses these challenges by combining information from multiple sources, including text, images, and EHRs, to provide a more comprehensive and accurate diagnosis. AI algorithms are trained on large datasets of medical data, enabling them to learn patterns and relationships between image features, clinical findings, and patient characteristics.e.

Text-Image Fusion: Enhancing Interpretation:
Text-image fusion plays a crucial role in integrative AI for diagnosis. This technique involves combining text information, such as medical reports or patient histories, with corresponding medical images to provide additional context and enhance interpretation. For instance, text descriptions of lesions in dermoscopy images can aid in skin cancer diagnosis, while clinical text reports can supplement the interpretation of echocardiography images for heart disease diagnosis.

Aim:
The primary aim of this PhD project is to develop and evaluate integrative AI models for diagnosis, with a specific focus on enhancing interpretation through text-image fusion.

Objectives:
To achieve the overarching aim, the following specific objectives will be pursued:
  • Develop novel text-image fusion techniques for medical diagnosis.
  • Evaluate the performance of text-image fusion models in enhancing interpretation compared to traditional methods.
  • Investigate the impact of text-image fusion on clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.
  • Design and implement clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of text-image fusion in real-world settings.
Potential Case Study: In this PhD project, our primary focus will be on exploring the vast potential of text-image fusion in medical diagnosis. Echocardiography will serve as a compelling case study, given its clinical significance in diagnosing heart conditions. The project benefits from strong collaboration with clinical partners, providing invaluable expertise and access to extensive patient data related to echocardiographic studies. By honing in on this specific application, we aim to develop and evaluate text-image fusion techniques that enhance interpretation and contribute to more accurate diagnoses in the realm of heart disease. However, recognising the broader implications of our research, we will also remain open to exploring other medical applications. This flexibility allows us to adapt our innovative approach to various contexts, ensuring that our findings can be applied across diverse domains within the field of medical diagnosis.

Candidate profile:
We are seeking highly motivated candidates with a strong background in computer science, machine learning, or a related field. The ideal candidate should possess solid programming skills. Strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and excellent communication and collaboration skills are essential for success in this PhD position.

Further information:
This PhD position offers a supportive research environment, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers in the field. The successful candidate will receive a competitive stipend and opportunities for conference participation and publication of research findings.

Application details:
To apply for this position, interested candidates should submit a detailed CV, a cover letter outlining their research interests and motivation for pursuing a PhD. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview to further discuss their research ideas and suitability for the position.

Expected start date: January, May, and September of each academic year.

Duration: This is a three-year position

For more information about the project, please contact Dr Nasim Dadashi