Hybrid Deep Learning-Based Enhanced Occlusion Segmentation in PICU Patient Monitoring

Remote patient monitoring has emerged as a prominent non-invasive method, using digital technologies and computer vision (CV) to replace traditional invasive monitoring. While neonatal and pediatric departments embrace this approach, Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) face the challenge of occlusions hindering accurate image analysis and interpretation. <i>Goal:</i> In this study, we propose a hybrid approach to effectively segment common occlusions encountered in remote monitoring applications within PICUs. Our approach centers on creating a deep-learning pipeline for limited training data scenarios. <i>Methods:</i> First, a combination of the well-established Google DeepLabV3+ segmentation model with the transformer-based Segment Anything Model (SAM) is devised for occlusion segmentation mask proposal and refinement. We then train and validate this pipeline using a small dataset acquired from real-world PICU settings with a Microsoft Kinect camera, achieving an Intersection-over-Union (IoU) metric of 85%. <i>Results:</i> Both quantitative and qualitative analyses underscore the effectiveness of our proposed method. The proposed framework yields an overall classification performance with 92.5% accuracy, 93.8% recall, 90.3% precision, and 92.0% F1-score. Consequently, the proposed method consistently improves the predictions across all metrics, with an average of 2.75% gain in performance compared to the baseline CNN-based framework. <i>Conclusions:</i> Our proposed hybrid approach significantly enhances the segmentation of occlusions in remote patient monitoring within PICU settings. This advancement contributes to improving the quality of care for pediatric patients, addressing a critical need in clinical practice by ensuring more accurate and reliable remote monitoring.