CT-based deep learning model for predicting hospital discharge outcome in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

Objectives: To predict the functional outcome of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using deep learning models based on computed tomography (CT) images.

Methods: A retrospective, bi-center study of ICH patients was conducted. Firstly, a custom 3D convolutional model was built for predicting the functional outcome of ICH patients based on CT scans from randomly selected ICH patients in H training dataset collected from H hospital. Secondly, clinical data and radiological features were collected at admission and the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to establish a second model, named the XGBoost model. Finally, the Convolution model and XGBoost model were fused to build the third "Fusion model." Favorable outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3 at discharge. The prognostic predictive accuracy of the three models was evaluated using an H test dataset and an external Y dataset, and compared with the performance of ICH score and ICH grading scale (ICH-GS).

Results: A total of 604 patients with ICH were included in this study, of which 450 patients were in the H training dataset, 50 patients in the H test dataset, and 104 patients in the Y dataset. In the Y dataset, the areas under the curve (AUCs) of the Convolution model, XGBoost model, and Fusion model were 0.829, 0.871, and 0.905, respectively. The Fusion model prognostic performance exceeded that of ICH score and ICH-GS (p = 0.043 and p = 0.045, respectively).

Conclusions: Deep learning models have good accuracy for predicting functional outcome of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Clinical relevance statement: The proposed deep learning Fusion model may assist clinicians in predicting functional outcome and developing treatment strategies, thereby improving the survival and quality of life of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Key points: • Integrating clinical presentations, CT images, and radiological features to establish deep learning model for functional outcome prediction of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. • Deep learning applied to CT images provides great help in prognosing functional outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage patients. • The developed deep learning model performs better than clinical prognostic scores in predicting functional outcome of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.