A new deep learning model with interface for fine needle aspiration cytology image-based breast cancer detection

Cytological evaluation through microscopic image analysis of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is pivotal in the initial screening of breast cancer. The sensitivity of FNAC as a screening tool relies on both image quality and the pathologist’s expertise. To enhance diagnostic accuracy and alleviate the pathologist’s workload, a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system was developed. A comparative study was conducted, assessing twelve candidate pre-trained models. Utilizing a locally gathered FNAC image dataset, three superior models-MobileNet-V2, DenseNet-121, and Inception-V3-were selected based on their training, validation, and testing accuracies. Further, these models underwent evaluation in four transfer learning scenarios to enhance testing accuracy. While the outcomes were promising, they left room for improvement, motivating us to create a novel deep convolutional neural network (CNN). The newly proposed model exhibited robust performance with testing accuracy at 85%. Our research concludes that the most lightweight, high-accuracy model is the one we propose. We’ve integrated it into our user-friendly Android App, “Breast Cancer Detection System,” in TensorFlow Lite format, with cloud database support, showcasing its effectiveness. Implementing an artificial intelligent (AI)-based diagnosis system with a user-friendly interface holds the potential to enhance early breast cancer detection using FNAC.