Real-Time Polyp Detection in Colonoscopy using Lightweight Transformer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a major global health challenge, and early detection of polyps is crucial in preventing its progression. Although colonoscopy is the gold standard for polyp detection, it has limitations, such as human error and missed detection rates. In response, computer-aided detection (CADe) systems have been developed to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of polyp detection. As deep learning gained prominence, the incorporation of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) into CADe systems emerged as a breakthrough approach. However, CADe systems based on CNNs often demand significant computational resources, making them unsuitable for deployment in resource-constrained environments. To mitigate this, we propose a novel and lightweight polyp detection model that integrates a Transformer layer into the You Only Look Once (YOLO) architecture, focusing on optimizing the neck part responsible for feature fusion and rescaling. Our model demonstrates a substantial reduction in computational complexity and the number of parameters, without compromising detection performances. The lightweight model makes it accessible and feasibly deployable in medically underserved regions, serving a significant public interest by potentially expanding the reach of critical diagnostic tools for CRC prevention. By optimizing the architecture to reduce resource requirements while maintaining performance, our model becomes a practical solution to assist healthcare professionals in the real-time identification of polyps, even with resource-constraint devices.