Automated Classification of COVID-19 Chest X-ray Images Using Ensemble Machine Learning Methods

Abstract

This study delves into the efficacy of ensemble machine learning techniques for classifying chest X-ray images into three distinct categories: Normal, COVID-19, and Lung Opacity. Employing the Random Forest Classifier and a rigorous k-5 cross-validation framework, we aimed to enhance diagnostic accuracy for one of the most urgent medical challenges today—rapid and reliable COVID-19 detection. The analysis revealed an average accuracy of 51%, with varying precision and recall across different folds. The F1-score remained consistently around 35%, indicating a need for improved balance between precision and recall. Visualizations such as performance metric trends and a confusion matrix provided further insight into the classifier's performance, highlighting a notable degree of misclassification. Despite moderate success in the automated classification of the images, our research illustrates the complexity of applying machine learning to medical imaging, especially in differentiating between diseases with overlapping radiographic features. The study’s findings emphasize the potential of machine learning models to support diagnostic processes and suggest the necessity of advanced pre-processing techniques and extended datasets for enhanced model training. The research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in computational diagnostics and underscores the importance of developing robust, accurate machine learning tools to aid in the global healthcare crisis precipitated by the pandemic.