Diagnosis melanoma with artificial intelligence systems: A meta-analysis study and systematic review

One of the most promising and rapidly advancing research areas in recent years is using dermoscopic images for automatic diagnosis with artificial intelligence and machine learning methods.

This study aimed to synthesize the existing studies for the clinical use of applications made with artificial intelligence methods and to summarize the predictive performance of deep learning and hybrid models-based algorithms in all these studies with a large-scale meta-analysis.

The literature review was conducted between January 2006 and May 2024, and meta-analysis data were created by scanning the Web of Science (WOS), Scopus and MEDLINE databases. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist.

A total of 2722 articles were evaluated. Data from 78 diagnostic tests from 39 primary studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were assessed. The pooled SROC overall model AUC was 0.96 [95% CI: 0.94-0.98], sensitivity was 0.89 [95% CI: 0.85-0.91] and specificity was 0.92 [95% CI: 0.90-0.94]. In the subgroup analyses, the pooled AUC was 0.98 [95% CI: 0.96-0.99] for HYBRID models.

Recent studies have suggested that artificial intelligence algorithms and machine learning methods should be used extensively in medicine to assist physicians, especially in diagnosing melanoma. The ability of HYBRID model algorithms to predict diseases is promising. In particular, the performance of HYBRID models was found to be high. This information can assist clinicians in interpreting the most appropriate algorithms for diagnosing melanoma.