StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning

In recent years, numerous deep-learning approaches have been developed for the analysis of histopathology Whole Slide Images (WSI). A recurrent issue is the lack of generalization ability of a model that has been trained with images of one laboratory and then used to analyze images of a different la...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: José Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez, Daniel Otero Baguer, Peter Maass
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-07-01
Series:Journal of Imaging
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/8/7/202
_version_ 1797433453220724736
author José Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez
Daniel Otero Baguer
Peter Maass
author_facet José Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez
Daniel Otero Baguer
Peter Maass
author_sort José Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez
collection DOAJ
description In recent years, numerous deep-learning approaches have been developed for the analysis of histopathology Whole Slide Images (WSI). A recurrent issue is the lack of generalization ability of a model that has been trained with images of one laboratory and then used to analyze images of a different laboratory. This occurs mainly due to the use of different scanners, laboratory procedures, and staining variations. This can produce strong color differences, which change not only the characteristics of the image, such as the contrast, brightness, and saturation, but also create more complex style variations. In this paper, we present a deep-learning solution based on contrastive learning to transfer from one staining style to another: StainCUT. This method eliminates the need to choose a reference frame and does not need paired images with different staining to learn the mapping between the stain distributions. Additionally, it does not rely on the CycleGAN approach, which makes the method efficient in terms of memory consumption and running time. We evaluate the model using two datasets that consist of the same specimens digitized with two different scanners. We also apply it as a preprocessing step for the semantic segmentation of metastases in lymph nodes. The model was trained on data from one of the laboratories and evaluated on data from another. The results validate the hypothesis that stain normalization indeed improves the performance of the model. Finally, we also investigate and compare the application of the stain normalization step during the training of the model and at inference.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T10:16:17Z
format Article
id doaj.art-54b8e27fa5e9433cac9bc5df14b3531f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2313-433X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T10:16:17Z
publishDate 2022-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Imaging
spelling doaj.art-54b8e27fa5e9433cac9bc5df14b3531f2023-12-01T22:19:00ZengMDPI AGJournal of Imaging2313-433X2022-07-018720210.3390/jimaging8070202StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive LearningJosé Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez0Daniel Otero Baguer1Peter Maass2Center for Industrial Mathematics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, GermanyCenter for Industrial Mathematics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, GermanyCenter for Industrial Mathematics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, GermanyIn recent years, numerous deep-learning approaches have been developed for the analysis of histopathology Whole Slide Images (WSI). A recurrent issue is the lack of generalization ability of a model that has been trained with images of one laboratory and then used to analyze images of a different laboratory. This occurs mainly due to the use of different scanners, laboratory procedures, and staining variations. This can produce strong color differences, which change not only the characteristics of the image, such as the contrast, brightness, and saturation, but also create more complex style variations. In this paper, we present a deep-learning solution based on contrastive learning to transfer from one staining style to another: StainCUT. This method eliminates the need to choose a reference frame and does not need paired images with different staining to learn the mapping between the stain distributions. Additionally, it does not rely on the CycleGAN approach, which makes the method efficient in terms of memory consumption and running time. We evaluate the model using two datasets that consist of the same specimens digitized with two different scanners. We also apply it as a preprocessing step for the semantic segmentation of metastases in lymph nodes. The model was trained on data from one of the laboratories and evaluated on data from another. The results validate the hypothesis that stain normalization indeed improves the performance of the model. Finally, we also investigate and compare the application of the stain normalization step during the training of the model and at inference.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/8/7/202stain normalizationgenerative adversarial networkcontrastive learningdigital pathology
spellingShingle José Carlos Gutiérrez Pérez
Daniel Otero Baguer
Peter Maass
StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
Journal of Imaging
stain normalization
generative adversarial network
contrastive learning
digital pathology
title StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
title_full StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
title_fullStr StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
title_full_unstemmed StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
title_short StainCUT: Stain Normalization with Contrastive Learning
title_sort staincut stain normalization with contrastive learning
topic stain normalization
generative adversarial network
contrastive learning
digital pathology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/8/7/202
work_keys_str_mv AT josecarlosgutierrezperez staincutstainnormalizationwithcontrastivelearning
AT danieloterobaguer staincutstainnormalizationwithcontrastivelearning
AT petermaass staincutstainnormalizationwithcontrastivelearning