EARLY PREDICTION OF MELANOCARCINOMA

USING SKIN SURFACE MICROSCOPY WITH DEEP LEARNING APPROACH

PHASE I REPORT
Submitted by
PRAVEEN KUMAR. S

in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree

of

MASTER OF ENGINEERING
in
BIOMETICS AND CYBERSECURITY

GKM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY,

ANNA UNIVERSITY, CHENNAI 600025

DECEMBER 2024

ANNA UNIVERSITY: CHENNAI 600025

I
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project “EARLY PREDICTION OF MELANOCARCINOMA

USING SKIN SURFACE MICROSCOPY WITH DEEP LEARNING
APPROACH” is a bonafide work of “PRAVEEN KUMAR S (410823494003)” who
carried out the project work under the supervision. Certified further that to the best of
my knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any other thesis or
dissertation on the basis of which a degree or award was conferred on an earlier occasion
on this or any other candidate.

….………………………………….. …………………………………….

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE

Mrs. R. MANJU, M.TECH, MBA, Mrs. K.M. SAI KIRUTHIKA M.E,

SUPERVISOR HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Department of Artificial Intelligence Department of Computer Science

and Data Science, and Engineering,

GKM College of Engineering GKM College of Engineering

& Technology. & Technology.

Chennai – 600 063. Chennai – 600 063

II
 GKM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
CHENNAI-600063
ANNA UNIVERSITY :: CHENNAI-600025

PROJECT VIVA-VOCE EXAMINATION

The viva-voce Examination of the project was submitted by

PRAVEEN KUMAR S 410823494003

Is to be held……………….. at Department of Computer science and

Engineering, GKM college of Engineering and Technology, chennai-600063.

………………………………… …………………………………

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

III
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We thank God Almighty for enabling us to complete our project.We

express our deep sense of gratitude and thanks to our respected

CEO Dr.SUJATHABALASUBRAMANIAN, G.K.M. Group of Educational

institutions for her constant support and educating us in her prestigious
institution. Also, we take This opportunity to thank our Managing Director,
C.BALASUBRAMANIAN, for his extended support to complete the project
work.

We express our sincere thanks to our Principal,

Dr. N.S. BHUVANESWARI for her continuous motivation, kind support and
guidance throughout the project.

We feel immense and curious pleasure thanking our Head of the

Department and Project coordinator Mrs. K.M.SAI KIRTHIKA, Asst.Prof.,
for the continuous motivation, and support and for making us complete the
project in time. Also, we express our gratitude to our Project supervisor,
Mrs. R. MANJU, Asst.Prof., for giving innovative ideas and for the valuable
guidance and the support that has added a great deal to the substance of this
report.

We also extend our thanks to all our FACULTIES in the department of

Computer Science and Engineering for helping us throughout the project
work.

Further, the acknowledgement would be incomplete if we would not

mention a Word of thanks to our beloved family and friends whose
continuous support and Encouragement through the course has led us to
pursue the degree and confidently complete the project.

IV
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO. TITLE PAGE NO

ABSTRACT vii

LIST OF FIGURES viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix

1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 METHODOLOGY 2
1.2 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT 3
1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY 4

2 SYSTEM ANALYSIS
2.1 PROBLEM DEFINITION 7
2.2 OBJECTIVE 8
2.3 EXISTING SYSTEM 9
2.4 PROPOSED SYSTEM 11

3 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT

3.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS 14

3.1.1 HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION 14
3.2 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS 15

4 SYSTEM DESIGN
4.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAM 16
4.2 SEQUENCE DIAGRAM 17
4.3 UML DIAGRAM 17
4.4 USECASE DIAGRAM 18
4.5 ACTIVITY DIAGRAM 19
4.6 DATAFLOW DIAGRAM 20
4.7 BLOCK DIAGRAM 20

V
5 MODULE DESCRIPTION
5.1 DATA COLLECTION 21
5.2 DATA PREPROCESSING 21
5.3 FEATURE EXTRACTION 22
5.4 MODEL CREATION 22
5.5 PREDICTION 23
6 FUTURE WORK 24
7 CONCLUSION 26
8 REFERENCES 27

VI
 ABSTRACT

Skin cancer, particularly melanoma, is a life-threatening condition caused by

abnormal skin cell development. Early detection is crucial, as it allows for timely
intervention and significantly improves patient outcomes. However, diagnosing
melanoma at an early stage remains challenging due to subtle clinical features,
variability in lesion appearance, and reliance on subjective human evaluation. This
project addresses these challenges by developing an advanced deep learning-based
approach to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of skin cancer diagnosis.

The proposed system utilizes Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and

CNN-LSTM architectures to classify skin lesions into six categories: basal cell
carcinoma, benign keratosis-like lesions, dermatofibroma, melanocytic nevi, pyogenic
granulomas and hemorrhage, and melanoma. By leveraging the power of deep
learning, the model aims to analyze dermoscopic images to detect complex patterns
and features that are difficult to identify through traditional methods. Additionally, the
integration of sequential dermoscopic image analysis will enable the system to
monitor lesion evolution over time, providing a more dynamic and robust diagnostic
tool for early-stage melanoma detection.

This project also seeks to address the interpretability of AI-based systems by

incorporating explainable diagnostic outputs, reducing the “black box” effect
commonly associated with deep learning models. The goal is to create a system that
not only improves diagnostic accuracy but also supports clinicians in making informed
decisions. By combining computational techniques with advanced imaging data, this
work aims to advance dermatological care, reduce over-diagnosis of benign lesions,
and aid in the timely identification of high-risk cases.

VII
LIST OF FIGURES

4.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAM

4.2 SEQUENCE DIAGRAM
4.3 UML DIAGRAM
4.4 USECASE DIAGRAM
4.5 ACTIVITY DIAGRAM
4.6 DATAFLOW DIAGRAM
4.7 BLOCK DIAGRAM

VIII
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CNN – Convolutional Neural Network

LSTM – Long Short-Term Memory

HAM10000 – Human Against Machine with 10000 Images (dataset)

SVM – Support Vector Machine

KNN – k-Nearest Neighbors

ROI – Region of Interest

GPU – Graphics Processing Unit

F1-Score – A measure of a model's accuracy, balancing precision and recall

AUC – Area Under the Curve

IoU – Intersection over Union

API – Application Programming Interface

ROC – Receiver Operating Characteristic

IX
 CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION:

Early diagnosis of malignant melanoma is vital, as it significantly increases the

chances of curing the disease by surgically excising the primary tumor during its early,
non-invasive stages. Visual dermoscopic examinations have been widely adopted for
melanoma detection, using criteria such as the ‘7-point checklist’ to identify distinct
dermoscopic features. However, early-stage melanoma often presents subtle or
ambiguous characteristics, such as mild asymmetry, irregular pigmentation, or barely
perceptible changes, making diagnosis challenging. This difficulty often leads to a
delicate balance between under diagnosing melanoma and over diagnosing benign
lesions, such as melanocytic nevi.

To improve diagnostic accuracy, dermoscopic monitoring has been proposed,

focusing on the temporal evolution of lesions. Benign lesions typically remain stable
over time, while melanomas may develop noticeable changes. Studies estimate that
30%-50% of melanomas arise from pre-existing benign lesions, making sequential
dermoscopic imaging a critical tool in early melanoma detection. However, manually
evaluating lesion changes across time points remains subjective and prone to
variability, depending on the clinician's expertise. Computational tools powered by
artificial intelligence (AI) offer an opportunity to address these challenges.

Recent advances in deep learning, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks

(CNNs) and hybrid models like CNN-LSTM, have shown remarkable potential in
dermatology. These models are capable of analyzing complex dermoscopic patterns
and temporal lesion changes. AI models, such as those developed by Esteva et al. and
Brinker et al., have achieved dermatologist-level accuracy in melanoma classification.
Despite these achievements, most existing systems rely on single-time-point images
and operate as "black box" models, limiting their interpretability and the ability to

1
analyze lesion evolution. This project aims to develop an advanced deep learning
framework that incorporates sequential dermoscopic image analysis to improve the
early detection and diagnosis of melanoma. By modeling lesion evolution, the
proposed system seeks to enhance diagnostic accuracy and provide clinicians with
explainable and actionable insights.

1.1 METHODOLOGY:

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN):

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) represent a specialized category of

deep learning architectures specifically tailored for excelling in the processing of
visual data, especially in tasks like image recognition and classification. The
distinctive strength of CNNs lies in their innate ability to autonomously acquire
hierarchical representations of features, achieved through the utilization of
convolutional layers. Beyond their conventional role in image recognition, CNNs have
expanded their impact into diverse domains, encompassing tasks like object detection,
image segmentation, and extending into non-visual realms such as natural language
processing. Their success is rooted in their intrinsic ability to autonomously learn and
hierarchically organize features, rendering them versatile instruments for extracting
meaningful patterns from a wide range of data types.

LSTM:

Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is a specialized type of recurrent neural

network (RNN) architecture designed to effectively capture and retain long-term
dependencies in sequential data. LSTMs find applications across various domains,
including natural language processing, time series prediction, and medical diagnostics,

2
demonstrating their versatility in handling sequential data and contributing to
improved performance in tasks requiring nuanced temporal understanding.

CNN – LSTM:

Combining Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with Long Short-Term

Memory (LSTM) networks is a powerful approach that leverages the strengths of both
architectures for tasks involving sequential and spatial data, such as video analysis,
action recognition, or even certain types of medical imaging. In this hybrid
architecture, the CNN is typically employed as the initial feature extractor to capture
spatial hierarchies and patterns from input data, such aimages or frames from a video.
The output from the CNN is then fed into the LSTM network, which excels at
capturing long-term dependencies and temporal patterns in sequential data. This
combination is particularly beneficial in scenarios where understanding both spatial
relationships and temporal dependencies is crucial.

1.2 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT:

The primary scope of this project is to design and develop an advanced deep
learning-based system for the early diagnosis of skin cancer, with a focus on
melanoma. The system will leverage Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and
CNN-LSTM architectures to classify dermoscopic images into six distinct categories:
basal cell carcinoma, benign keratosis-like lesions, dermatofibroma, melanocytic nevi,
pyogenic granulomas and hemorrhage, and melanoma. The project will utilize the
HAM10000 dataset, a comprehensive collection of labeled dermoscopic images, to
train and evaluate the model's performance.

This project also aims to address the limitations of existing diagnostic methods
by incorporating sequential dermoscopic image analysis. By tracking and analyzing

3
lesion evolution over time, the system will enhance the detection of early-stage
melanoma, even in cases where static visual characteristics are subtle. The inclusion of
temporal data analysis will support clinicians in identifying changes indicative of
malignancy, improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing over-diagnosis of benign
lesions.

Furthermore, the project will focus on enhancing the interpretability of deep

learning models by providing explainable diagnostic outputs. This will mitigate the
"black box" nature of AI algorithms, enabling clinicians to better understand the
rationale behind the model’s predictions. The ultimate goal is to create a robust,
efficient, and user-friendly tool that supports dermatologists in making timely and
accurate decisions, improving patient outcomes, and advancing the field of
dermatological care.

1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY:

1. Rarasmaya Indraswari, Wiwiet Herulambang and Rika Rokhana -

“Melanoma image classification based on MobileNetV2 network [2021]”

Rarasmaya Indraswari proposed a deep learning model using MobileNetV2 for

classifying melanoma as benign or malignant. The lightweight architecture of
MobileNetV2, combined with additional pooling and fully connected layers, achieved
high accuracy (up to 85%) on datasets like ISIC Archive. This approach highlights the
effectiveness of transfer learning for efficient and accurate melanoma classification.

4
2. Darrell S Rigel and John A Carucci - “Early Detection of Malignant Melanoma
Using Machine Learning Algorithms”
Darrell S. Rigel proposed the integration of machine learning algorithms,
especially Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), to enhance the accuracy of
melanoma diagnosis. The study focused on image analysis and pattern recognition in
dermoscopic images, transitioning beyond traditional ABCD criteria. By utilizing
advanced AI technologies, this approach has improved the early detection of
melanoma, leading to better patient outcomes. The research highlights the evolution of
melanoma diagnosis through multidisciplinary approaches and technological
advancements over 25 years.

3. Cliff Rosendahl and Gail Williams - “The Impact of subspecialization and

dermatoscopy use on accuracy of melanoma diagnosis among primary care
doctors in Australia”

Cliff Rosendahl investigated the role of practitioner subspecialization and

dermatoscopy use in diagnosing melanoma among primary care doctors. Data from
the Skin Cancer Audit Research Database showed that specialized practitioners
achieved significantly better diagnostic accuracy, reflected by lower numbers needed
to treat (NNT). Dermatoscopy improved diagnostic outcomes but was secondary to
subspecialization, underscoring the importance of expertise in skin cancer medicine
for accurate melanoma detection.

4. Mehwish Dildar,Muhammed Irfan and Shumaila Akram - “Skin cancer

detection using deep learning techniques like deep neural networks (DNN),
support vector machines (SVM)”

Mehwish Dildar reviewed the use of deep learning techniques, such as CNNs,
SVMs, and DNNs, for classifying skin lesion images. The study concluded that CNNs

5
outperform other models in image-based classification due to their strong association
with computer vision tasks. This research highlighted the importance of selecting
appropriate algorithms for optimal performance, providing a framework for advancing
AI-based melanoma detection methods.

5. Gabriel Salerni and Cristina Carrera - “Digital follow-up for high-risk

melanoma patients: Benefits of total body photography and dermatoscopy”

Gabriel Salerni and his team introduced a "two-step method" combining total
body photography and digital dermatoscopy for early melanoma detection in high-risk
patients. This digital follow-up (DFU) method enabled more precise monitoring of
suspicious lesions, leading to the early identification of melanoma. The study revealed
that 8.5% of excised lesions were diagnosed as melanomas, most being in situ with
low Breslow indices, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method in minimizing
invasive procedures while ensuring timely diagnoses.

6. Yuxin Liu and M Saeed Sheikh - “Melanoma: Molecular Pathogenesis and

Therapeutic Management”

Yuxin Liu reviewed the molecular pathways driving melanoma development

and progression, focusing on BRAF mutations. The study emphasized targeted
therapies such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib, often combined with MEK inhibitors
like trametinib, to improve therapeutic outcomes. This comprehensive exploration of
melanoma's molecular mechanisms provided valuable insights into designing effective
management strategies.

6
 CHAPTER 2
SYSTEM ANALYSIS

2.1 PROBLEM DEFINITION:

The early detection of malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin
cancer, remains a critical challenge in dermatology. Despite advancements in
dermoscopic techniques and diagnostic criteria, such as the ‘7-point checklist’ and
ABCD guidelines, identifying melanoma in its incipient stages is often hindered by the
subtle nature of early lesions, which may lack definitive dermoscopic features. This
difficulty contributes to a delicate balance between underdiagnosing melanoma and
overdiagnosing benign lesions, leading to unnecessary biopsies or missed early-stage
cancers.

Existing artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for melanoma detection

predominantly focus on single time-point images, limiting their ability to assess lesion
evolution—a key factor in early diagnosis. While sequential dermoscopic imaging has
been proposed to track changes in lesions over time, current methods either lack
robustness in detecting subtle evolutionary patterns or fail to integrate these changes
into accurate and explainable diagnostic frameworks. This results in a failure to
effectively model lesion evolution, which is crucial for early melanoma detection.

The problem is further compounded by the subjectivity and variability of human

interpretation, even among experienced clinicians. Given these challenges, there is a
pressing need for a more reliable, automated approach that incorporates temporal
changes in lesion characteristics, providing improved diagnostic accuracy and
minimizing human error. This project aims to address these limitations by developing
a deep learning-based system that leverages sequential dermoscopic images to analyze
and model lesion evolution, enhancing early melanoma detection and reducing clinical
subjectivity and overdiagnosis.

7
2.2 OBJECTIVE:

The primary objective of the project is to develop an advanced deep learning

model capable of analyzing sequential dermoscopic images to identify subtle changes
in skin lesions, which are critical for the early diagnosis of malignant melanoma. By
leveraging state-of-the-art techniques in artificial intelligence, the project aims to
address the inherent challenges in current diagnostic practices, such as the reliance on
single time-point images and the difficulty in recognizing early-stage melanoma,
which often lacks distinct dermoscopic features. This will enable a more
comprehensive analysis of lesion evolution over time, improving the accuracy and
reliability of melanoma detection.

In addition to enhancing diagnostic performance, the project also aims to reduce

human error and subjectivity in melanoma diagnosis, a significant factor in clinical
variability. The proposed system will offer a more objective, data-driven approach that
minimizes the risk of both missed diagnoses and unnecessary biopsies due to
overdiagnosis. By incorporating temporal changes in lesion characteristics, the system
will help clinicians track lesion progression and differentiate between benign lesions
and malignant melanomas more effectively.

The project also seeks to contribute to the development of explainable AI

models in dermatology. A key feature of the system will be its ability to provide
clinicians with interpretable insights into the decision-making process, making the
model more transparent and trustworthy. This approach not only aims to improve
diagnostic accuracy but also to foster clinician confidence in utilizing AI-based tools
in the clinical setting, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and a reduction in
melanoma-related mortality.

8
2.3 EXISTING SYSTEM:

Support Vector Machines (SVM) in Skin Cancer Detection:

Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are one of the most powerful machine
learning algorithms used in skin cancer detection, particularly melanoma diagnosis.
SVMs are based on supervised learning techniques and are designed to classify
datasets into distinct groups by constructing an optimal hyperplane that maximizes the
margin between data groups. In skin cancer detection, SVMs are widely used for
classifying dermoscopic images into benign or malignant categories. The workflow
generally involves preprocessing steps such as noise reduction, image segmentation,
feature extraction, and then using these features to train the SVM model. The SVM
classifier is effective in handling high-dimensional data and is computationally
efficient, making it suitable for smaller datasets.

Disadvantages of SVMs:

Here are the disadvantages of SVMs in melanoma detection, presented as points:

1. Computationally Expensive: SVMs require significant computational

resources, particularly with large datasets, leading to increased training time.
2. Slower Model Training: The training time of SVMs grows significantly with
the size of the data, making them less suitable for real-time applications.
3. Struggles with Large, Complex Datasets: While SVMs can handle non-
linearly separable data through kernel functions, they still face challenges with
large, complex datasets that require extensive feature engineering.
4. Limited Interpretability: SVMs lack robust interpretability, making it difficult
for clinicians to understand the rationale behind the model’s decision-making
process.

9
 5. Requires Extensive Feature Engineering: SVMs need careful feature
selection and transformation, which can be time-consuming and requires domain
expertise.

K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) for Skin Cancer Detection

The K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm is another commonly used method

for skin cancer detection. It is a simple, lazy learning algorithm that classifies new
data points based on the majority vote of their closest neighbors in the feature space.
In the context of melanoma detection, KNN is applied to classify skin lesions as either
benign or malignant based on their color, texture, and shape features extracted from
dermoscopic images. KNN does not make any assumptions about the data and is
known for its simplicity and ease of use. It has been successfully used for skin cancer
detection, with some studies reporting high accuracy.

Disadvantages of KNN:

Here are the disadvantages of KNN in melanoma detection, presented as points:

1. Sensitivity to Dataset Quality and Size: KNN performs poorly with large
datasets or high-dimensional data due to the "curse of dimensionality," where
performance deteriorates as the number of features increases.
2. High Computational Cost: During the classification phase, KNN requires
significant computational resources to compute the distance between the query
point and all training samples, leading to slower real-time predictions.
3. Dependency on the Choice of k: The accuracy of KNN is highly dependent on
the choice of the number of neighbors (k), which can be challenging to optimize
and tune.

10
 4. Limited Ability to Model Complex Relationships: While simple and
effective, KNN lacks the ability to model complex relationships within the data,
making it less robust compared to advanced algorithms like CNNs or hybrid
models like CNN-LSTM.
5. Lack of Robustness: KNN is less effective in capturing subtle nuances in
melanoma detection, which are crucial for accurate diagnosis.

2.4 PROPOSED SYSTEM:

Proposed System: CNN-LSTM

In this project, we propose an advanced deep learning-based approach that

combines Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with Long Short-Term Memory
(LSTM) networks, referred to as CNN-LSTM, to address the limitations of existing
melanoma detection systems. CNNs are highly effective at extracting complex,
hierarchical features from images, which makes them ideal for analyzing dermoscopic
images and identifying patterns associated with melanoma. LSTM networks, on the
other hand, are well-suited for capturing sequential dependencies and temporal
information. When combined, CNN-LSTM models can not only identify key features
from individual images but also track the evolution of lesions over time, enabling a
more accurate and dynamic assessment of lesion changes.

The CNN-LSTM model integrates the strengths of both CNN and LSTM to
create a system capable of understanding the progression of skin lesions. CNNs are
used to extract spatial features from dermoscopic images, such as texture, shape, and
color variations that are indicative of melanoma. These features are then passed to the
LSTM network, which is designed to capture temporal changes by analyzing a
sequence of images of the same lesion over time. This approach allows the system to
model lesion evolution, helping to differentiate between benign lesions and early-stage

11
melanoma based on subtle changes that might not be evident in a single time-point
image.

Advantages of CNN-LSTM over Existing Systems

Temporal Analysis for Early Detection: Unlike traditional systems that focus on
single-time point images, the CNN-LSTM model incorporates the sequential nature of
dermoscopic images, making it possible to detect subtle changes over time. By
modeling lesion evolution, the system can recognize early-stage melanomas that may
be missed in static images.

Improved Diagnostic Accuracy: The combination of CNNs and LSTMs improves

diagnostic accuracy by leveraging both spatial and temporal features. CNNs capture
detailed spatial patterns in individual images, while LSTMs track the evolution of
those patterns over time, resulting in a more comprehensive and accurate analysis.

Reduced Overdiagnosis and Underdiagnosis: By considering changes in lesions

over time, the CNN-LSTM model reduces the risk of overdiagnosis (identifying
benign lesions as malignant) and underdiagnosis (missing early melanomas). This
leads to fewer unnecessary biopsies and ensures that potentially malignant lesions are
identified earlier.

Explainability and Transparency: Unlike traditional deep learning models that are
often "black boxes," CNN-LSTM models can be designed to provide more
interpretable results by highlighting which features of the lesion have changed over
time. This makes it easier for clinicians to understand and trust the AI’s reasoning.

Automation and Efficiency: The CNN-LSTM system automates the process of lesion
analysis and evolution tracking, improving the efficiency of melanoma detection. This
reduces the reliance on manual review and the potential for human error, leading to
faster and more reliable diagnoses.

12
CONCLUSION:

The proposed CNN-LSTM-based system aims to address the limitations of

existing melanoma detection systems, such as SVM and KNN, by incorporating both
spatial and temporal information in a unified framework. While SVM and KNN have
shown reasonable success in melanoma detection, they face significant drawbacks,
including computational inefficiencies, difficulties in handling large datasets, and
limited ability to model complex relationships within the data. SVMs can be
computationally expensive, particularly with large datasets, and KNN is sensitive to
data quality and dimensionality, making both algorithms less robust for clinical use.

By leveraging sequential dermoscopic images, the CNN-LSTM model enhances

the ability to detect melanoma at earlier, more treatable stages, significantly improving
diagnostic accuracy, reducing clinical subjectivity, and minimizing the risks of
overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. This combined approach promises to overcome the
limitations of traditional methods, providing a more reliable, efficient, and explainable
solution for melanoma detection, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

13
 CHAPTER 3
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT

3.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS:

The system's hardware requirements for the proposed project are as follows:

System : Intel Core i7, 3.0 GHz or equivalent

Hard Disk : 1TB or more SSD (for faster data processing)

Floppy Drive : Not required

Monitor : 15-inch or larger Full HD color display

Mouse : Standard optical mouse (Logitech or equivalent)

RAM : 16GB or more for efficient handling of large datasets

GPU : NVIDIA GTX 1060 or equivalent for deep learning model

training (if applicable)

3.1.1 HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION:

For this project, we're utilizing machine learning techniques, particularly focusing on
the CNN-LSTM model, to improve melanoma detection from sequential dermoscopic
images. Given the computational demands of deep learning, the system needs
powerful hardware to support model training and inference efficiently. The hardware
configuration includes a high-performance CPU, sufficient RAM to handle large
datasets, and a dedicated GPU for model training acceleration.

We are using high-capacity storage (SSD) to store large image datasets and model
parameters, ensuring smooth access and faster processing speeds. The graphical output

14
from the system can be viewed on a Full HD monitor for better analysis and
evaluation of results.

3.2 SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS:

The system's software requirements for the proposed project are as follows:

Operating System: Windows 10 or Ubuntu 20.04

Coding Language: Python 3.7 or higher

Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Anaconda Navigator or Jupyter

Notebook

Libraries and Frameworks:

o TensorFlow or PyTorch (for deep learning model development)

o Keras (for building neural networks)
o Scikit-learn (for machine learning tools and utilities)
o OpenCV (for image processing)
o NumPy (for numerical operations)
o Matplotlib/Seaborn (for data visualization)
o Pandas (for data manipulation and analysis)
o Skimage (for image segmentation)
o CUDA (for GPU acceleration, if using NVIDIA GPU)

Database: MySQL or SQLite

Version Control: Git (for version control of the project).

15
 CHAPTER 4
SYSTEM DESIGN

4.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAM:

16
4.2 SEQUENCE DIAGRAM:

4.3 UML DIAGRAM:

17
4.4 USECASE DIAGRAM:

18
4.5 ACTIVITY DIAGRAM:

19
4.6 DATA FLOW DIAGRAM:

DATASET

Preprocessing

Data Exploration and

CNN LSTM CNN * LSTM

Model Evaluation and

4.7 BLOCK DIAGRAM:

20
 CHAPTER 5
MODULE DESCRIPTION

5.1 DATA COLLECTION :

For the melanoma detection project, we will collect images from the
HAM10000 (Human Against Machine with 10000 training images) dataset, which
is specifically designed for skin lesion classification. This dataset is available on
platforms like Kaggle and contains 10,015 dermatoscopic images, each annotated
with information about whether the lesions are benign or malignant.

The HAM10000 dataset features images from a variety of melanoma types,

including Melanocytic nevi, Melanoma, Benign keratosis-like lesions, Basal cell
carcinoma, Actinic keratoses, Vascular lesions, and Dermatofibrom. These images
are categorized into seven distinct classes of skin cancer, which will help train the
model to distinguish between various skin conditions effectively.

Additionally, the dataset includes metadata such as age, gender, body site, and
other information relevant to the lesions, which can enhance the model’s predictive
accuracy. Once the data is collected, it will undergo preprocessing to ensure
consistency and robustness in the model training process. This diverse and well-
labeled dataset will be a key asset in developing a reliable and accurate melanoma
detection model.

5.2 DATA PREPROCESSING :

For data preprocessing, the first step is to clean the dataset by removing
irrelevant or duplicate images and ensuring that each image is correctly labeled as
either malignant or benign. All images will be resized to a consistent dimension of
224x224 pixels to meet the input requirements of the Convolutional Neural Network
(CNN) used in this project.

21
 Data augmentation techniques such as rotation, flipping, brightness
adjustments, zooming, and shifting will be applied to artificially expand the dataset
and improve the model's generalization. Pixel values will be normalized to a range
between 0 and 1 to stabilize the training process.

Additionally, the dataset will be split into training, validation, and test sets to
ensure the model’s unbiased evaluation and to prevent overfitting. This preprocessing
pipeline prepares the data for effective training and validation, enabling the model to
generalize well to new, unseen data.

5.3 FEATURE EXTRACTION :

In the training phase, the CNN model processes each image through multiple
layers to detect key features such as edges, textures, and shapes that distinguish
melanoma from other types of skin lesions. The model’s feature extraction process
will focus on identifying the subtle visual characteristics that differentiate malignant
lesions from benign ones.

Backpropagation and optimization algorithms, such as Adam, will be used to

adjust the model’s weights, reducing prediction error and improving accuracy over
multiple epochs. After training, the model will be evaluated using a separate test set to
assess its ability to generalize to unseen data. Performance metrics such as accuracy,
precision, recall, and F1-score will be used to evaluate the model’s effectiveness,
ensuring it can reliably differentiate between malignant and benign lesions in real-
world scenarios.

5.4 MODEL CREATION :

For model creation, the CNN is used to automatically extract relevant features
from the input images, such as color, texture, shape, and edges. These features are
then passed through pooling layers to reduce the spatial dimensions and improve
computational efficiency while mitigating the risk of overfitting. The fully connected

22
layers use these features to make predictions, outputting the likelihood of a lesion
being malignant or benign.

The model will apply a softmax activation function at the output layer to
convert raw predictions into probabilities. The model will be trained using the labeled
data from the HAM10000 dataset, continuously refining its predictions during training
to achieve high classification accuracy.

5.5 PREDICTION :

In the prediction phase, when a user uploads a new dermoscopic image of a

skin lesion, the trained CNN analyzes the image using the learned features and
classifies it as either benign or malignant. This allows healthcare professionals or
patients to quickly assess the potential risk of melanoma.

Furthermore, the hybrid model combining CNN for feature extraction and
LSTM for temporal analysis can be used to analyze sequences of images over time
(e.g., capturing multiple images of the same lesion over several weeks). This approach
will enable the system to detect changes in lesion characteristics, which may indicate
malignancy. For recommendation purposes, the system can suggest similar lesions
from the dataset to aid in diagnosis.

Additionally, the system can incorporate metadata such as age, gender, and
location of the lesion to offer more personalized recommendations. This combination
of CNN for feature extraction and LSTM for analyzing changes over time allows the
system to provide accurate classifications as well as valuable insights to clinicians,
improving melanoma detection and patient outcomes.

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 CHAPTER 6

FUTURE WORK :

For future work on the melanoma detection project, here are the most useful areas to
focus on:

1. Improving the Model

 Use Advanced Models: We could try more advanced deep learning models to
improve how well the system detects melanoma. This could include combining
CNNs (for image analysis) with LSTMs (for tracking changes over time).
 Better Accuracy: Using models that can look at how skin lesions change over
time can help spot melanoma earlier.

2. Real-time Use in Clinics

 Mobile App: We could make the system work on smartphones or other mobile
devices so that anyone can check skin lesions in real-time, no matter where they
are.
 Doctor’s Tool: The system should be integrated into clinics so that doctors can
use it to help with diagnoses, making it faster and more accurate.

3. Make the System Easier to Understand

 Explain the Results: It’s important that doctors can understand why the system
gave a certain result. Using tools that show which part of the image the model is
focusing on could help doctors trust the system more.
 Human Assistance: The system should be a tool to help doctors, but the final
diagnosis should always come from a healthcare professional.

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4. Get More Data

 More Diverse Data: Gathering more images from different skin types, ages,
and geographic locations will make the system work better for everyone.
 Extra Information: Adding patient details, such as age or family history of
skin cancer, could make predictions more personalized.

5. Testing in Real-Life Clinics

 Testing with Doctors: We need to test the system in real hospitals and clinics to
make sure it works well in real-life situations.
 Ongoing Updates: The model should be updated regularly with new data to
keep it accurate and effective.

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 CHAPTER 7

CONCLUSION :

The melanoma detection project demonstrates the effectiveness of machine

learning, particularly CNN and LSTM models, for early melanoma detection using the
HAM10000 dataset. The CNN efficiently extracts features from dermoscopic images,
while the LSTM analyzes sequential data to detect changes in skin lesions over time,
improving diagnostic accuracy.

The CNN-LSTM hybrid approach provides a promising solution for consistent,

accurate melanoma detection, which can aid clinicians in early diagnosis and improve
patient outcomes. While challenges remain, such as model interpretability and
integration into clinical workflows, the project highlights the transformative potential
of AI in healthcare for early melanoma detection and better patient care.

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 CHAPTER 8

REFERENCES :

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 The impact of subspecialization and dermatoscopy use on accuracy of melanoma

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 Association of Patient Risk Factors and Frequency of Nevus-Associated

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 Skin Disease Recognition Using Deep Saliency Features and Multimodal Learning
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