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Machine learning is a sophisticated technique that enables computers to learn autonomously

without the need for human intervention. It may be used on medical images to assist clinicians
in making medical diagnoses. Because the human brain is one of the most complex and
sophisticated organs in the human body, research into its anatomy, function, and illness is critical.
The brain begins to grow in the first few weeks following fertilization. Preterm delivery harms
brain development. Because about 3 out of 1000 pregnant women have a fetus with an abnormal
brain, identifying and diagnosing fetal brain abnormalities is critical. Machine learning is a good
method that may be used to discover embryonic brain disorders early and hence enhance
diagnostic and treatment planning quality. I give a thorough examination of machine learning
approaches for detecting and classifying prenatal brain disorders.

Machine learning in engineering and computer science is a widely recognized area. It relies on
patterns to accomplish a certain task without the use of direct instructions. It belongs to the
artificial intelligence class and its algorithms construct a mathematical model based on training
data to make predictions and choices. Machine learning is closely connected to computational
statistics, which focuses on producing computer-based predictions. The creation of computer
programs that can access data and utilize it to learn for themselves is the focus of machine
learning. To seek patterns in data and make better judgments in the future based on the
examples we offer, the learning process begins with observations or data, such as examples,
direct experience, or instruction. The fundamental goal is to allow computers to learn
autonomously without human involvement and change activities accordingly. It is a fantastic tool
for pattern detection and image processing. It may be used for medical images to assist clinicians
in making medical diagnoses. It also reduces diagnostic mistakes and examination effort. It may
also be used to identify anomalies in fetal brain MRI images, as well as to diagnose and classify
illnesses. Because about 3 in 1000 pregnancies result in babies with various forms of defective
brain, scanning the fetal brain is critical. Early diagnosis of fetal brain abnormalities will suggest
how the pregnancy will be managed, potential therapies that may be used, and will assist parents
in understanding and preparing for the anomaly. In addition, early detection of these anomalies
may enhance diagnostic quality and plan monitoring.
The majority of the research that employed fetal brain imaging concentrated on segmenting the
images to detect anomalies or isolating the fetal brain from the rest of the body. Some research
looked into using machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies in embryonic brains. The
purpose of this study is to provide an overview of several machine learning approaches utilized
for the identification and categorization of prenatal brain disorders.

It is critical to detect and classify prenatal brain abnormalities since many babies are born with
defective brains, which can lead to severe brain disorders. A few published publications have
addressed the identification of embryonic brain anomalies in various methods, employing various
image modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonic, and so on. Magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) has lately emerged as a critical technique for studying the growing human brain.
However, automated brain extraction and orientation are still a challenge in raw fetal MRI
volumes with a broad field of view. As a result, research has been constrained to small-scale
investigations. To overcome this restriction, Moses proposed an automated fetal brain extraction
and orientation architecture. A brain mask for an MRI stack is created by combining a two-phase
random forest classifier and an approximate high-order Markov random field solution. A two-
phase Random forest classifier is used to suppress the impact of maternal tissues while also
providing predicted locations of tissue centroids inside the brain. A high-order MRF
approximation identifies the best set of landmarks, and these landmarks, together with a
confidence-weighted probability map, offer an estimate of the brain's center and ROI.
One of the methods used to study prenatal growth is ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound (US)
imaging is low-cost, non-radioactive, and real-time. The identification of embryonic brain
structures is a crucial element of basic prenatal screening for disorders [2]. It is important to
assess fetal head circumference, which is utilized in timing pregnancies beyond 14 weeks. As a
result, a strategy is proposed in [3] to detect four local fetal brain regions in 3D ultrasound
images. The approach is based on a discriminative model (Random Forests), a broad machine
learning framework that is gaining favor in biomedical image interpretation due to its ability to
include basic limitations on image interpretation. Background, Choroid Plexus (CP), Posterior
Ventricle Cavity (PVC), Cavum Septum Pellucidum (CSP), and Cerebellum(CER) are the five
classifications in which voxels are classified.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological illness that causes lifelong cognitive impairment
as well as social, communication, and behavioral difficulties. Early diagnosis and medical
intervention are critical for enhancing the quality of life for autistic people. Yan jin et al. [4]
proved the feasibility of early detection of high-risk ASD infants using machine learning
approaches. The identification of high-risk ASD infants is based on observations such as ASD-
induced anomalies in white matter tracts and total brain connections that have already begun to
manifest within 24 months of birth. They proposed a novel multi-kernel support vector machine
classification framework based on connectivity features gathered from WM connectivity
networks, which are generated using multiple diffusion statistics such as mean diffusivity,
fractional anisotropy, and average fiber length, as well as multiscale regions of interest.
Multivariate analysis (MVA) techniques are advanced statistical, computational, and pattern
recognition technologies that assess many variables/measurements at the same time (i.e.
multivariate analysis of variance, multivariate regression, machine learning, etc.). MVA
technologies are utilized to give a theoretical improvement over standard univariate approaches
that analyze each collected measurement separately. MVA methods [5] can be used to determine
which physiological/anatomical measures and brain areas best assist define various types of
neurodevelopmental problems. Also, reliable illness onset prediction, detection and diagnosis of
disease, and tracking therapy response are all highly significant problems in clinical pediatric
neuroimaging, an area where MVA technology might help. MVA methods may also be used to
discover clinical variables and imaging data that are linked to critical concerns including patient
outcomes, disease progression, and more. Ana I.L. Namburete et al. [6] developed an automated
system based on 3D ultrasound brain scans for predicting gestational age (GA) and neurological
maturation of a fetus. For the first time, this technique combined age-related sonographic image
patterns with clinical data to build a predictive age model that outperforms the ability of US
images to predict GA.
Fetal MRI is a new non-invasive and efficient technique for pregnancy monitoring and diagnosis.
However, there is a lot of variation in the fetus's orientation position in the MR scans. In
comparison to typical adult MR imaging, which standardized anatomical imaging aligned planes,
this makes these images more challenging to read and evaluate. [7] suggested automated
localization of fetal anatomy, particularly the brain, which is a structure of interest in many fetal
MRI investigations, to solve this issue. In this approach, superpixels are extracted first, and then
a histogram of features for each superpixel is computed using a bag of words and dense scale-
invariant feature transform (DSIFT) descriptors. Then, to distinguish between the brain and non-
brain superpixels, create a network of superpixels and train a random forest classifier.
Magnetic resonance image analysis revealed a complex fusion of structural changes across all
tissue compartments, which are linked to a variety of neurodevelopment diseases and can last
into adolescence and adulthood. To test the hypothesis that preterm birth leads to some
alterations in functional connectivity by term-equivalent age, G.Ball et al.[8] used machine-
learning methods to compare whole-brain functional connectivity in preterm babies at term-
equivalent age with healthy term-born neonates. Using group independent component analysis
and a graphical lasso model, functional connectivity networks were calculated in 105 preterm
babies and 26 term controls. A random forest-based feature selection approach was utilized to
find discriminative edges within each network, and a nonlinear support vector machine was
employed to categorize patients based on functional connectivity alone.
The first crucial components of ultrasonography examination in obstetrics are the diagnosis of
fetal presentation (head or buttock in the maternal pelvis) and confirmation of pregnancy
viability. The former is necessary for labor management, while the latter helps determine
whether or not a pregnancy is ongoing. [9] presented an automated system for detecting fetal
presentation and heartbeat in the maternal belly using a preset free-hand ultrasound scan. For
the first time, they developed an approach that makes use of the existence of essential
anatomical sonographic image patterns, as well as an automated framework that allows
sonographers to detect heartbeat and fetal breech presentation from an ultrasound sweep. A
classification regime is included in the framework for a frame-by-frame categorization of each 2D
slice of video. By taking into consideration the temporal link between the video frames, the
conditional random field model is utilized to regularize classification scores. Following that, if
successive frames of the fetal heart are identified, a kernelized linear dynamical model is utilized
to determine whether a heartbeat can be detected in the series. Omneya Attallah et al. [10]
developed a machine learning-based pipeline approach for fetal brain categorization (FBC). The
categorization of fetal brain anomalies at an early stage, before the fetus is born, is the major
contribution of this technique. Using a simple and flexible technique with minimal computing
cost, the proposed algorithm will identify and categorize a variety of anomalies from MRI images
with a wide range of fetal gestational age. Segmentation, enhancement, feature extraction, and
classification are the four steps of the proposed approach. Support vector machine, K-nearest
neighbor (KNN), Linear discriminate analysis (LDA), and Ensemble subspace discriminates were
used to classify the data. Many brain MRI-based processing techniques and brain extraction are
key foundations for effective prenatal MRI analysis. However, due to the significant diversity in
fetal brains throughout gestational weeks and the complex maternal tissues surrounding the
fetal brains, mechanically extracting fetal brains from fetal MRI is extremely challenging. [11]
developed a unique two-step approach for tackling the hard challenge of automated fetal brain
extraction in 2D in utero fetal MRI slices utilizing the deep learning method. Two fully
convolutional networks (FCN) models were suggested, a shallow FCN and an extremely deep
multi-scale FCN (M- FCN). A shallow FCN is utilized initially to identify the fetal brain and extract
the region of interest (ROI) containing the brain. Then, using multi-scale information and residual
learning blocks, M-FCN improved the segmentation inside the brain ROI and generated the final
brain mask. In both FCNs, dilated convolutional layers were used to adjust the size of feature
maps and enhance the field of vision.
COMPARISON

TABLE I Comparison of Different Methods

Paper Classifier Used Accuracy

Mark Ison et al. [1] Random forest classifier 81%

M. Yaqub et al. [3] Random decision forest 91%

Yan Jin et al. [4] Multikernal SVM 76%

A. Alansary et al. [7] Random forest classifier 94.55%

G. Ball et al. [8] Non-linear SVM 80%

M.A. Maraci et al. [9] SVM 93.1%

Omneya Attallah et al. [10] LDA 79%


Linear SVM 79%
KNN 73%
Ensemble Subspace Discriminates 80%

Jinpeng Li et al. [11] FCN 100%

Machine learning has had a significant influence across a wide variety of application fields. They
are now the preferred solution for many issues in computer vision, speech recognition, and
natural language processing. Machine learning has recently been widely used in the medical
profession to minimize the human diagnostic mistake. The brain begins to develop within the
first few weeks after fertilization. Prematurity harms brain development. For the identification
and categorization of prenatal brain anomalies, different machine learning approaches are
available. This study provides a review of the identification and categorization of prenatal brain
disorders using machine learning approaches. The forecast accuracy varies depending on the
approach employed in each situation. However, machine learning has played a significant role in
the identification and categorization of prenatal brain disorders. Deep learning, a subset of
machine learning, has recently been used to detect anomalies in the embryonic brain, yielding
more accurate results than other approaches.

REFERENCES

[1]. Mark Ison, Eva Dittrich, Rene Donner, Gregor Kasprian, Daniela Prayer and Georg Langs,
" Fully Automated Brain Extraction and Orientation in Raw Fetal MRI," MICCAI Workshop on
Perinatal and Paediatric Imaging, 2012, pp. 17-24.
[2]. L. J. Salomon, Z. Alfirevic, V. Berghella, et al., “ Practice guidelines for Performance of the
routine mid-trimester fetal ultrasound scan,”
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2011, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 116-126.
[3]. M. Yaqub, R. Napolitano, C. Ioannou, A. T. Papageorghiou and J. A. Noble, "
Automatic Detection of Fetal Brain Structures in Ultrasound Images," IEEE International
Conference on Symposium on Biomedical Imaging, 2012, pp. 1555-1558.
[4]. Yan Jin, Chong-Yaw Wee, Feng Shi, Kim-Han Thung, Dong Ni, Pew-Thian Yap, and Dinggang
Shen, “Identification of Infants at High-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder Using
Multiparameter Multiscale White Matter Connectivity Networks,” Human Brain Mapping, 2015.
[5]. Jacob Levman and Takahashi, “ Multivariate Analyses Applied to Fetal,
Neonatal and Pediatric MRI of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, "Elsevier
Journal on Neuroimage, 2015, pp. 532-544.
[6]. Ana I.L. Namburete, Richard V. Stebbing, Bryn Kemp, Mohammad Yaqub, Aris T.
Papageorghiou and J. Alison Noble, “ Learning- Base Prediction of Gestational Age from
Ultrasound Images of the Fetal Brain,” Elsevier Journal on Medical Image Analyses, 2015, pp. 72-
86.
[7]. A. Alansary et al., “Automatic Brain Localization in Fetal MRI Using Superpixel Graphs,” IEEE
International Conference on Machine Learning Meets Medical Imaging, 2016, pp. 13-22.
[8]. G. Ball, P. Aljabar, T. Arichi, N. Tusor, et al., “ Machine Learning to Characterise Neonatal
Functional Connectivity in the Preterm Brain," Elsevier Journal on Neuroimage, 2016, vol. 124,
pp. 267-275.
[9]. M.A. Maraci, C.P. Bridge, et al., “ A Framework for Analysis of Linear Ultrasound Videos to
Detect Fetal Presentation and Heartbeat,”
Elsevier Journal on Medical Image Analysis, 2017, pp. 22-36.
[10]. Heba Gadelkarim, Omneya Attallah and Maha A. Sharkas, "Detecting and Classifying Fetal
Brain Abnormalities Using Machine Learning Techniques," IEEE International Conference on
Machine Learning and Applications, 2018, pp. 1371-1376.
[11]. Jinpeng Li et al., “Automatic Fetal Brain Extraction from 2D in Utero Fetal MRI Slices Using
Deep Neural Network,” Elsevier Journal on Neurocomputing, 2019.

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