Classifying microscopic images as acute lymphoblastic leukemia by Resnet ensemble model and Taguchi method

Background Researchers have attempted to apply deep learning methods of artificial intelligence for rapidly and accurately detecting acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in microscopic images. Results A Resnet101-9 ensemble model was developed for classifying ALL in microscopic images. The proposed Resnet101-9 ensemble model combined the use of the nine trained Resnet-101 models with a majority voting strategy. Each trained Resnet-101 model integrated the well-known pre-trained Resnet-101 model and its algorithm hyperparameters by using transfer learning method to classify ALL in microscopic images. The best combination of algorithm hyperparameters for the pre-trained Resnet-101 model was determined by Taguchi experimental method. The microscopic images used for training of the pre-trained Resnet-101 model and for performance tests of the trained Resnet-101 model were obtained from the C-NMC dataset. In experimental tests of performance, the Resnet101-9 ensemble model achieved an accuracy of 85.11% and an F1-score of 88.94 in classifying ALL in microscopic images. The accuracy of the Resnet101-9 ensemble model was superior to that of the nine trained Resnet-101 individual models. All other performance measures (i.e., precision, recall, and specificity) for the Resnet101-9 ensemble model exceeded those for the nine trained Resnet-101 individual models. Conclusion Compared to the nine trained Resnet-101 individual models, the Resnet101-9 ensemble model had superior accuracy in classifying ALL in microscopic images obtained from the C-NMC dataset.