PyFaceWipe: a new defacing tool for almost any MRI contrast
Stanislaw Mitew1, Ling Yun Yeow2, Chi Long Ho1
1Department of Radiology, Sengkang General Hospital, Singhealth, 110 Sengkang E Way, Singapore, 544886, Singapore.
Magma (New York, N.Y.)
|June 21, 2024
Summary
PyFaceWipe is a new multiplatform software for defacing research MRI brain scans. It offers excellent brain voxel preservation and effective facial feature removal across various MRI contrasts, outperforming existing tools.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Medical Image Analysis
- Software Development
Background:
- Defacing research MRI brain scans is crucial for privacy.
- Existing software has compatibility issues and raises concerns about voxel preservation in non-T1w scans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate PyFaceWipe, a multiplatform MRI defacing software.
- To assess its anonymization capabilities and impact on downstream neuroimaging analyses.
Main Methods:
- PyFaceWipe and PyDeface were used to deface MRI scans from the OASIS-3 dataset.
- Manual assessment of facial feature removal and automated face detection were performed.
- Structural volumetry and brain atlas generation were conducted on defaced T1w scans.
Main Results:
- PyFaceWipe achieved complete brain voxel preservation in most contrasts, with minor exceptions in ASL and DWI.
- No facial features were detected post-PyFaceWipe defacing; manual review showed minimal residual pinna.
- Structural volumetry and ANTS atlas generation showed no significant impact from PyFaceWipe defacing.
Conclusions:
- PyFaceWipe is a promising multiplatform defacing tool with excellent brain voxel preservation.
- It performs favorably against PyDeface, particularly for T1w scans.
- Defacing with PyFaceWipe has minimal impact on downstream analyses like volumetry and atlas creation.
