Automated detection of vascular remodeling in human tumor draining lymph nodes by the deep learning tool HEV-finder

Vascular remodeling is common in human cancer and has potential as future biomarkers for prediction of disease progression and tumor immunity status. It can also affect metastatic sites, including the tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs). Dilation of the high endothelial venules (HEVs) within TDLNs has been observed in several types of cancer. We recently demonstrated that it is a premetastatic effect that can be linked to tumor invasiveness in breast cancer. Manual visual assessment of changes in vascular morphology is a tedious and difficult task, limiting high-throughput analysis. Here we present a fully automated approach for detection and classification of HEV dilation. By using 12,524 manually classified HEVs, we trained a deep-learning model and created a graphical user interface for visualization of the results. The tool, named the HEV-finder, selectively analyses HEV dilation in specific regions of the lymph nodes. We evaluated the HEV-finder's ability to detect and classify HEV dilation in different types of breast cancer compared to manual annotations. Our results constitute a successful example of large-scale, fully automated, and user-independent, image-based quantitative assessment of vascular remodeling in human pathology and lay the ground for future exploration of HEV dilation in TDLNs as a biomarker.

Avenel, ChristopheUppsala universitet,Avdelningen för visuell information och interaktion,Bildanalys och människa-datorinteraktion(Swepub:uu)chrav452 (author)
Hanna, SabellaUppsala universitet,Vaskulärbiologi (author)
Franzén Boger, MathiasUppsala universitet,Institutionen för immunologi, genetik och patologi (author)
Klemm, Anna HUppsala universitet,Avdelningen för visuell information och interaktion,Science for Life Laboratory, SciLifeLab(Swepub:uu)annkl878 (author)
Vasiliu-Bacovia, DanielUppsala universitet,Institutionen för immunologi, genetik och patologi(Swepub:uu)danva511 (author)
Wärnberg, FredrikDepartment of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden(Swepub:uu)fredwarn (author)
Wählby, Carolina,professor,1974-Uppsala universitet,Bildanalys och människa-datorinteraktion,Science for Life Laboratory, SciLifeLab,Avdelningen för visuell information och interaktion(Swepub:uu)cli05194 (author)
Ulvmar, Maria H.Uppsala universitet,Vaskulärbiologi(Swepub:uu)marul414 (author)
Uppsala universitetVaskulärbiologi (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Bekkhus, Tove; Avenel, Christop ...; Hanna, Sabella; Franzén Boger, M ...; Klemm, Anna H; Vasiliu-Bacovia, ...; show more...; Wärnberg, Fredri ...; Wählby, Carolina ...; Ulvmar, Maria H.; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Cancer and Oncol ...

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