A Novel Approach to Chest X-ray Lung Segmentation Using U-net and Modified Convolutional Block Attention Module

Abstract

Lung segmentation in chest X-ray images is of paramount importance as it plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of various lung diseases. This paper presents a novel approach for lung segmentation in chest X-ray images by integrating U-net with attention mechanisms. The proposed method enhances the U-net architecture by incorporating a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), which unifies three distinct attention mechanisms: channel attention, spatial attention, and pixel attention. The channel attention mechanism enables the model to concentrate on the most informative features across various channels. The spatial attention mechanism enhances the model's precision in localization by focusing on significant spatial locations. Lastly, the pixel attention mechanism empowers the model to focus on individual pixels, further refining the model's focus and thereby improving the accuracy of segmentation. The adoption of the proposed CBAM in conjunction with the U-net architecture marks a significant advancement in the field of medical imaging, with potential implications for improving diagnostic precision and patient outcomes. The efficacy of this method is validated against contemporary state-of-the-art techniques, showcasing its superiority in segmentation performance.