Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Thyroid Cancer Classification: A Systematic Review

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Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning and deep learning architectures, has been widely applied to support thyroid cancer diagnosis, but existing evidence on its performance and limitations remains scattered across techniques, tasks, and data types. This systematic review synthesizes recent work on knowledge extraction from heterogeneous imaging and clinical data for thyroid cancer diagnosis and detection published between 2021 and 2025. We searched eight major databases, applied predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and assessed study quality using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. A total of 150 primary studies were included and analyzed with respect to AI techniques, diagnostic tasks, imaging and non-imaging modalities, model generalization, explainable AI, and recommended future directions. We found that deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks, U-Net variants, and transformer-based models, dominated recent work, mainly for ultrasound-based benign–malignant classification, nodule detection, and segmentation, while classical machine learning, ensembles, and advanced paradigms remained important in specific structured-data settings. Ultrasound was the primary modality, complemented by cytology, histopathology, cross-sectional imaging, molecular data, and multimodal combinations. Key limitations included diagnostic ambiguity, small and imbalanced datasets, limited external validation, gaps in model generalization, and the use of largely non-interpretable black-box models with only partial use of explainable AI techniques. This review provides a structured, machine learning-oriented evidence map that highlights opportunities for more robust representation learning, workflow-ready automation, and trustworthy AI systems for thyroid oncology.
Funding Information
  • Multimedia University

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