Detecting COVID-19 on CT Images with Impulsive-Backpropagation Neural Networks

This paper presents an impulsive-backpropagation neural network (IBNN) based learning algorithm for detecting Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), by classifying chest computed tomography (CT) images. Inspired by the nerve impulses in brain networks, the IBNN algorithm consists of two parts: a multi-layered network of impulsive neurons and a gradient decent backpropagation mechanism. The effectiveness of the IBNN algorithm is validated on clinical COVID-19 database, and a classification accuracy of 98.19% is achieved. It is further demonstrated by comparative studies that the IBNN may outperform some other learning algorithms through the integration of nerve impulses and backpropagation. Considering the intricate attributes of the chest CT scan images, the IBNN algorithm also exhibits a potential capacity of pattern recognition on complicated samples.