Multiple Sclerosis Detection with Reinforcement Learning and Differential Evolution

Abstract

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disrupts nerve communication, potentially leading to permanent damage. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are commonly recommended to accelerate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis for MS. Traditional CNN-based methods often face challenges with feature selection, imbalanced classification, and hyperparameter optimization, which can reduce their effectiveness. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a reinforcement learning (RL) strategy for tackling feature selection and class imbalance, complemented by an advanced Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm for hyperparameter tuning. The RL algorithm dynamically adapts, enhancing feature selection and class balance, and consistently outperforms traditional static methods by continually optimizing its response to the complex patterns in MS detection. Furthermore, the DE is enhanced with a novel mutation mechanism that utilizes k-means clustering to identify significant clusters. Tested on the SNAC-MS and ISBI datasets, our model demonstrates robust accuracy with average F-measures of 92.873% and 93.783%, respectively, highlighting its effectiveness and adaptability in diagnosing MS.