Histopathology Image Classification With Global-Local Feature Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional convolutional neural networks struggle to accurately classify histopathological images due to their inability to effectively capture and integrate localized pattern variations, leading to suboptimal classification accuracy in texture-rich domains like histopathology.

Innovation Solution

An extended deep-learning network is developed, integrating a pretrained dense convolutional neural network with trainable residual layers that extract both global and local features, using a skip connection with a 1×1 kernel and sigmoid activation function to concatenate spatial and spectral features for improved classification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional convolutional neural networks are used for histopathological image classification, then the system structure is simple and easy to implement, but the classification accuracy is insufficient due to inability to capture fine-grained local texture patterns

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclassification accuracyVSAvoidnetwork structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network is segmented into distinct functional modules: a pretrained dense convolutional neural network for global feature extraction, trainable residual layers for local feature extraction, and a concatenation layer for feature integration. This segmentation allows each module to specialize in specific feature types, improving overall classification accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges global spatial features extracted by the pretrained dense convolutional network with local spectral features extracted by the trainable residual layers through a concatenation operation. This combination of multiple feature types creates a more comprehensive feature representation that captures both overall structural patterns and fine-grained texture details, thereby improving classification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of information

If only global convolutional features are extracted, then the network architecture remains simple, but local spectral features critical for texture discrimination are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocal spectral feature captureVSAvoidfeature extraction mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts local spectral features separately from global spatial features using dedicated trainable residual layers with skip connections. This extraction mechanism specifically targets local texture patterns and spectral variations that are critical for histopathological classification, preventing information loss while adding targeted complexity only where needed for local feature capture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network applies local quality by using trainable residual layers with 1×1 kernels specifically designed to capture local spectral variations in histopathological textures. These layers focus computational resources on extracting fine-grained local features rather than applying uniform processing across the entire image, thereby preserving critical local information with efficient use of network complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If pretrained convolutional layers are used alone, then training efficiency is high, but the network underperforms in texture-rich domains due to lack of local pattern capture mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclassification performance in texture-rich domainsVSAvoidnetwork architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a pretrained dense convolutional neural network as the base architecture, leveraging pre-trained weights for efficient global feature extraction. This preliminary action provides a strong foundation that converges quickly during training, while additional trainable residual layers are then added to capture local texture patterns specific to histopathological images, improving reliability in texture-rich domains without sacrificing training efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12511749B1System and method for histopathological image-based cancer classification using an extended deep-learning network
Publication Date: 2025.12.30 PRINCE MOHAMMAD BIN FAHD UNIV
  • US12511749B1 patent drawing
  • US12511749B1 patent drawing
  • US12511749B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method and a system of diagnostic assistance. The method includes obtaining a plurality of histopathological images of tissue samples. The method includes receiving, by a processing circuitry configured with a pretrained dense convolutional neural network, a histopathological image of the plurality of histopathological images and extracting global features of the histopathological image. The global features are spatial features of the histopathological image. The method includes extracting, by the processing circuitry, local features of the histopathological image. The local features are spectral features. The method includes concatenating, by a concatenation operator, the global features with the local features to obtain concatenated features. The method includes outputting, by a classification layer, a classification of the histopathological image based on the concatenated features.