Information processing apparatus, generating method, medical diagnosis support apparatus, and medical diagnosis support method

An information processing apparatus providing an inference means for, based on a plurality of pieces of information identified for a medical case, outputting a diagnosis for the case, and outputting at least one of the identified pieces of information as information having the most influence on the inference of the diagnosis, the apparatus comprising:

• an obtainment unit configured to obtain a group of correct data including a correct diagnosis for the case and information to be identified for the case having that correct diagnosis;
• a calculation unit configured to obtain a value indicating the validity of information output as information having the most influence on the inference made by each of a plurality of inference means based on the group of correct data;
• and
• a selection unit configured to select at least one inference means from the plurality of inference means based on the value indicating inference performance and the value indicating the validity.

An information processing apparatus providing an inference means that has structured data in which a plurality of elements and a diagnosis are numerically associated with each other and that can infer a diagnosis for a given medical case by determining which of the plurality of elements a plurality of pieces of information identified for the case apply to, the apparatus comprising:

• a first obtainment unit configured to obtain values indicating the inference performance of each of a plurality of inference means that infer a diagnosis for the medical case, based on a group of first correct data in which the identified information and a correct diagnosis are associated with each other;
• a second obtainment unit configured to obtain values indicating the validity of at least one of the elements used in the inference performed by the plurality of inference means, based on a group of second correct data in which a correct diagnosis is associated with a plurality of pieces of information to be identified for a case having that correct diagnosis;
• and
• a selection unit configured to select at least one inference means from the plurality of inference means based on the values indicating the inference performance and the values indicating the validity.

A generating method for generating an inference means that outputs a diagnosis inferred for a medical case and reason information used to infer the diagnosis, the method comprising:

• a first obtainment step of obtaining values indicating an inference performance for each of a plurality of inference means based on a group of first correct data including a correct diagnosis for the medical case;
• a second obtainment step of obtaining values indicating a validity of the reason information used in the inference output by each of the plurality of inference means, based on a group of second correct data that includes information to be identified in a case for which the correct diagnosis has been provided;
• and
• a generating step of generating at least one inference means from the plurality of inference means based on the values indicating the inference performance and the values indicating the validity.

A generating method for generating an inference means that, based on a plurality of pieces of information identified for a medical case, outputs a diagnosis for the case, and outputs at least one of the identified pieces of information as information having the most influence on the inference of the diagnosis, the method comprising:

• an obtainment step of obtaining a group of correct data including a correct diagnosis for the case and information to be identified for the case having that correct diagnosis;
• a calculation step of obtaining a value indicating the validity of information output as information having the most influence on the inference made by each of a plurality of inference means based on the group of correct data;
• and
• a generating step of generating at least one inference means from the plurality of inference means based on the value indicating the inference performance and the value indicating the validity.

A generating method for generating an inference means that has structured data in which a plurality of elements and a diagnosis are numerically associated with each other and that can infer a diagnosis for a given medical case by determining which of the plurality of elements a plurality of pieces of information identified for the case apply to, the apparatus comprising:

• a first obtainment step of obtaining values indicating the inference performance of each of a plurality of inference means that infer a diagnosis for the medical case, based on a group of first correct data in which the identified information and a correct diagnosis are associated with each other;
• a second obtainment step of obtaining values indicating the validity of at least one of the elements used in the inference performed by the plurality of inference means, based on a group of second correct data in which a correct diagnosis is associated with a plurality of pieces of information to be identified for a case having that correct diagnosis;
• and
• a generating step of generating at least one inference means from the plurality of inference means based on the values indicating the inference performance and the values indicating the validity.

A medical diagnosis support apparatus comprising:

• a training data obtainment unit configured to obtain training data;
• a candidate creating unit configured to create a plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• an inference performance evaluation unit configured to evaluate the performance of the plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• an information validity evaluation unit configured to evaluate the validity of information presented by each of the plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• and
• a selection unit configured to select an inference means from the plurality of inference means candidates based on the performance of the plurality of inference means candidates and the validity of the information presented by each of the plurality of inference means candidates.

A medical diagnosis support method for a medical diagnosis support apparatus, the method comprising:

• an obtainment step of obtaining training data;
• a creating step of creating a plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• an inference performance evaluation step of evaluating the performance of the plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• an information validity evaluation step of evaluating the validity of information presented by each of the plurality of inference means candidates based on the training data;
• and
• a selection step of selecting an inference means from the plurality of inference means candidates based on the performance of the plurality of inference means candidates and the validity of the information presented by each of the plurality of inference means candidates.