# Advancements in Artificial Intelligence-Based Diagnostic Tools Used to Detect Fungal Infections: A Systematic Review

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how AI tools can improve the detection of fungal infections compared to traditional methods, highlighting their potential benefits and current limitations.

## Contribution

The study systematically evaluates AI-based diagnostic tools for fungal infections, comparing their performance to traditional methods.

## Key findings

- AI models like CNNs and VGG19 showed improved diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity over traditional methods.
- Dataset quality and model validation remain significant limitations for real-world application of AI tools.
- Prospective and retrospective studies demonstrated AI's potential but require further clinical validation for broader adoption.

## Abstract

Background: Fungal infections are considered a global health concern, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Traditional diagnostic techniques, such as microscopy, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), suffer from low sensitivity, long processing time, and accessibility challenges, especially in resource-limited settings. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools have demonstrated potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. This systematic study assesses the progress, precision, and efficacy of AI-driven diagnostic tools for fungal infections within various clinical contexts in comparison to traditional procedures. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA principles. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Ovid, focusing on research employing AI models to diagnose fungal infections. The inclusion criteria were research that compared AI-based tools with conventional diagnostic methods in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Data extraction and quality evaluation were performed utilizing validated instruments, such as the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Results: Eleven research studies met the inclusion criteria: six retrospective and five prospective investigations. AI models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), Faster R-CNN, VGG19, and MobileNet, have improved diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity compared to traditional methods. However, differences in dataset quality, model validation, and real-world applicability remain as limitations. Conclusions: AI-driven diagnostic technologies provide significant benefits in identifying fungal infections, improving the speed and accuracy of diagnoses. However, additional extensive investigations and clinical validation are required to improve model generalizability and facilitate smooth incorporation into healthcare systems.