Common pitfalls and recommendations for using machine learning to detect and prognosticate for COVID-19 using chest radiographs and CT scans

Michael Roberts, Derek Driggs, Matthew Thorpe, Julian D. Gilbey, Michael Yeung, Stephan Ursprung, Angelica I. Avilés-Rivero, Christian Etmann, Cathal McCague, Lucian Beer, Jonathan R. Weir-McCall, Zhongzhao Teng, Effrossyni Gkrania-Klotsas, James H. F. Rudd, Evis Sala, Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb

Abstract: Many machine learning-based approaches have been developed for the prognosis and diagnosis of COVID-19 from medical images and this Analysis identifies over 2,200 relevant published papers and preprints in this area. After initial screening, 62 studies are analysed and the authors find they all have methodological flaws standing in the way of clinical utility. The authors have several recommendations to address these issues.