Toward Content-based Indexing and Retrieval of Head and Neck CT with Abscess Segmentation

TL;DR

This paper introduces AbscessHeNe, a large annotated CT dataset for head and neck abscess segmentation, evaluates current models, and discusses future applications in content-based retrieval and clinical decision support.

Contribution

The creation of a comprehensive, annotated CT dataset for abscess segmentation and the evaluation of multiple segmentation architectures on this challenging task.

Findings

Highest Dice score of 0.39 achieved by the best model

Significant challenges remain in accurate abscess segmentation

Dataset supports future content-based retrieval applications

Abstract

Abscesses in the head and neck represent an acute infectious process that can potentially lead to sepsis or mortality if not diagnosed and managed promptly. Accurate detection and delineation of these lesions on imaging are essential for diagnosis, treatment planning, and surgical intervention. In this study, we introduce AbscessHeNe, a curated and comprehensively annotated dataset comprising 4,926 contrast-enhanced CT slices with clinically confirmed head and neck abscesses. The dataset is designed to facilitate the development of robust semantic segmentation models that can accurately delineate abscess boundaries and evaluate deep neck space involvement, thereby supporting informed clinical decision-making. To establish performance baselines, we evaluate several state-of-the-art segmentation architectures, including CNN, Transformer, and Mamba-based models. The highest-performing model achieved a Dice Similarity Coefficient of 0.39, Intersection-over-Union of 0.27, and Normalized Surface Distance of 0.67, indicating the challenges of this task and the need for further research. Beyond segmentation, AbscessHeNe is structured for future applications in content-based multimedia indexing and case-based retrieval. Each CT scan is linked with pixel-level annotations and clinical metadata, providing a foundation for building intelligent retrieval systems and supporting knowledge-driven clinical workflows. The dataset will be made publicly available at https://github.com/drthaodao3101/AbscessHeNe.git.