Explainable AI for Diabetic Retinopathy: Utilizing YOLO Model on a Novel Dataset

Background: Diagnostic errors can be substantially diminished, and clinical decision-making can be significantly enhanced through automated image classification. Methods: We implemented a YOLO (You Only Look Once)-based system to classify diabetic retinopathy (DR) utilizing a unique retinal dataset. Although YOLO provides exceptional accuracy and rapidity in object recognition and categorization, its interpretability is constrained. Both binary and multi-class classification methods (graded severity levels) were employed. The Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) model was utilized to improve image brightness and detailed readability. To improve interpretability, we utilized Eigen Class Activation Mapping (Eigen-CAM) to display areas affecting classification predictions. Results: Our model exhibited robust and consistent performance on the datasets for binary and 5-class tasks. The YOLO 11l model obtained a binary classification accuracy of 97.02% and an Area Under Curve (AUC) score of 0.98. The YOLO 8x model showed superior performance in 5-class classification, with an accuracy of 80.12% and an AUC score of 0.88. A simple interface was created using Gradio to enable real-time interaction. Conclusions: The suggested technique integrates robust prediction accuracy with visual interpretability, rendering it a potential instrument for DR screening in clinical environments.