CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays

This paper describes the development of a CNN model for the analysis of chest X-rays and the automated diagnosis of pneumonia, bacterial or viral, and lung pathologies resulting from COVID-19, offering new insights for further research through the development of an AI-based diagnostic tool, which ca...

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Main Authors: Cristian Randieri, Andrea Perrotta, Adriano Puglisi, Maria Grazia Bocci, Christian Napoli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Big Data and Cognitive Computing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/9/7/186
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author Cristian Randieri
Andrea Perrotta
Adriano Puglisi
Maria Grazia Bocci
Christian Napoli
author_facet Cristian Randieri
Andrea Perrotta
Adriano Puglisi
Maria Grazia Bocci
Christian Napoli
author_sort Cristian Randieri
collection DOAJ
description This paper describes the development of a CNN model for the analysis of chest X-rays and the automated diagnosis of pneumonia, bacterial or viral, and lung pathologies resulting from COVID-19, offering new insights for further research through the development of an AI-based diagnostic tool, which can be automatically implemented and made available for rapid differentiation between normal pneumonia and COVID-19 starting from X-ray images. The model developed in this work is capable of performing three-class classification, achieving 97.48% accuracy in distinguishing chest X-rays affected by COVID-19 from other pneumonias (bacterial or viral) and from cases defined as normal, i.e., without any obvious pathology. The novelty of our study is represented not only by the quality of the results obtained in terms of accuracy but, above all, by the reduced complexity of the model in terms of parameters and a shorter inference time compared to other models currently found in the literature. The excellent trade-off between the accuracy and computational complexity of our model allows for easy implementation on numerous embedded hardware platforms, such as FPGAs, for the creation of new diagnostic tools to support medical practice.
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spelling doaj-art-6020f14f033f4ac7a7b71cf269c2b14f2025-08-20T03:13:42ZengMDPI AGBig Data and Cognitive Computing2504-22892025-07-019718610.3390/bdcc9070186CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-RaysCristian Randieri0Andrea Perrotta1Adriano Puglisi2Maria Grazia Bocci3Christian Napoli4Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Via Isimbardi 10, 22060 Novedrate, ItalyDepartment of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Via Isimbardi 10, 22060 Novedrate, ItalyDepartment of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, 00185 Rome, ItalyClinical and Research Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Via Portuense, 292, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, 00185 Rome, ItalyThis paper describes the development of a CNN model for the analysis of chest X-rays and the automated diagnosis of pneumonia, bacterial or viral, and lung pathologies resulting from COVID-19, offering new insights for further research through the development of an AI-based diagnostic tool, which can be automatically implemented and made available for rapid differentiation between normal pneumonia and COVID-19 starting from X-ray images. The model developed in this work is capable of performing three-class classification, achieving 97.48% accuracy in distinguishing chest X-rays affected by COVID-19 from other pneumonias (bacterial or viral) and from cases defined as normal, i.e., without any obvious pathology. The novelty of our study is represented not only by the quality of the results obtained in terms of accuracy but, above all, by the reduced complexity of the model in terms of parameters and a shorter inference time compared to other models currently found in the literature. The excellent trade-off between the accuracy and computational complexity of our model allows for easy implementation on numerous embedded hardware platforms, such as FPGAs, for the creation of new diagnostic tools to support medical practice.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/9/7/186COVID-19CNNpneumoniamedical imagingAI-assisted diagnostics
spellingShingle Cristian Randieri
Andrea Perrotta
Adriano Puglisi
Maria Grazia Bocci
Christian Napoli
CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
Big Data and Cognitive Computing
COVID-19
CNN
pneumonia
medical imaging
AI-assisted diagnostics
title CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
title_full CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
title_fullStr CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
title_full_unstemmed CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
title_short CNN-Based Framework for Classifying COVID-19, Pneumonia, and Normal Chest X-Rays
title_sort cnn based framework for classifying covid 19 pneumonia and normal chest x rays
topic COVID-19
CNN
pneumonia
medical imaging
AI-assisted diagnostics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-2289/9/7/186
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AT andreaperrotta cnnbasedframeworkforclassifyingcovid19pneumoniaandnormalchestxrays
AT adrianopuglisi cnnbasedframeworkforclassifyingcovid19pneumoniaandnormalchestxrays
AT mariagraziabocci cnnbasedframeworkforclassifyingcovid19pneumoniaandnormalchestxrays
AT christiannapoli cnnbasedframeworkforclassifyingcovid19pneumoniaandnormalchestxrays