Constrained training of artificial neural networks using labelled medical data of mixed quality

Abstract

The invention relates to a method () for supervised training of an artificial neural network for medical image analysis. The method comprises acquiring (SI) first and second sets of training samples, wherein the training samples comprise feature vectors and associated predetermined labels, the feature vectors being indicative of medical images and the labels pertaining to anatomy detection, to semantic segmentation of medical images, to classification of medical images, to computer-aided diagnosis, to detection and/or localization of biomarkers or to quality assessment of medical images. The accuracy of predetermined labels may be better for the second set of training samples than for the first set of training samples. The neural network is trained (S) by reducing a cost function, which comprises a first and a second part. The first part of the cost function depends on the first set of training samples, and the second part of the cost function depends on a first subset of training samples, the first subset being a subset of the second set of training samples. In addition, the second part of the cost function depends on an upper bound for the average prediction performance of the neural network for the first subset of training samples and the second part of the cost function is configured for preventing that the average prediction performance for the first subset of training samples exceeds the upper bound.