Your mileage may vary: impact of data input method for a deep learning bone age app's predictions

The purpose of this study was to evaluate agreement in predictions made by a bone age prediction application ("app") among three data input methods.

The 16Bit Bone Age app is a browser-based deep learning application for predicting bone age on pediatric hand radiographs; recommended data input methods are direct image file upload or smartphone-capture of image. We collected 50 hand radiographs, split equally among 5 bone age groups. Three observers used the 16Bit Bone Age app to assess these images using 3 different data input methods: (1) direct image upload, (2) smartphone photo of image in radiology reading room, and (3) smartphone photo of image in a clinic.

Interobserver agreement was excellent for direct upload (ICC = 1.00) and for photos in reading room (ICC = 0.96) and good for photos in clinic (ICC = 0.82), respectively. Intraobserver agreement for the entire test set across the 3 data input methods was variable with ICCs of 0.95, 0.96, and 0.57 for the 3 observers, respectively.

Our findings indicate that different data input methods can result in discordant bone age predictions from the 16Bit Bone Age app. Further study is needed to determine the impact of data input methods, such as smartphone image capture, on deep learning app performance and accuracy.