When is 3D Worth It? A Resource-Performance Frontier for CNNs and Transformers in Lung CT
Three-dimensional models are widely assumed preferable for volumetric medical imaging, yet their practical value depends on whether performance gains justify added computational cost and complexity. Rather than proposing a new architecture, we study how input dimensionality (2D, 2.5D, 3D) affects model behavior across convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Vision Transformers (ViTs) under a fixed training protocol. Using a leakage-free NLST cohort (n = 1,977) with supporting LIDC-IDRI data, we find that the 2.5D CNN offers the most favorable discrimination-stability trade-off in our comparison (ROC-AUC 0.682, 95% CI [0.546, 0.799]) with a stable operating point. In contrast, 3D CNNs sho...
| Authors | Md Enamul Hoq, Sharafat Hossain, Imraul Emmaka et al. |
|---|---|
| Primary category | cs.CV |
| Published | 5 June 2026 |
| Last updated at source | 5 June 2026 |
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