CelloType: a unified model for segmentation and classification of tissue images
Minxing Pang, Tarun Kanti Roy, Xiaodong Wu, Kai Tan
Abstract
Cell segmentation and classification are critical tasks in spatial omics data analysis. Here we introduce CelloType, an end-to-end model designed for cell segmentation and classification for image-based spatial omics data. Unlike the traditional two-stage approach of segmentation followed by classification, CelloType adopts a multitask learning strategy that integrates these tasks, simultaneously enhancing the performance of both. CelloType leverages transformer-based deep learning techniques for improved accuracy in object detection, segmentation and classification. It outperforms existing segmentation methods on a variety of multiplexed fluorescence and spatial transcriptomic images. In terms of cell type classification, CelloType surpasses a model composed of state-of-the-art methods for individual tasks and a high-performance instance segmentation model. Using multiplexed tissue images, we further demonstrate the utility of CelloType for multiscale segmentation and classification of both cellular and noncellular elements in a tissue. The enhanced accuracy and multitask learning ability of CelloType facilitate automated annotation of rapidly growing spatial omics data.