A review of feature selection methods in medical applications

Feature selection is a preprocessing technique that identifies the key features of a given problem. It has traditionally been applied in a wide range of problems that include biological data processing, finance, and intrusion detection systems. In particular, feature selection has been successfully used in medical applications, where it can not only reduce dimensionality but also help us understand the causes of a disease. We describe some basic concepts related to medical applications and provide some necessary background information on feature selection. We review the most recent feature selection methods developed for and applied in medical problems, covering prolific research fields such as medical imaging, biomedical signal processing, and DNA microarray data analysis. A case study of two medical applications that includes actual patient data is used to demonstrate the suitability of applying feature selection methods in medical problems and to illustrate how these methods work in real-world scenarios.

• Publication year

  2019

• Venue

  Comput. Biol. Medicine

• Publication date

  2019-09-01

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Computer Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2019.103375PMID 31382212
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Feature selection and tumor classification for microarray data using relaxed Lasso and generalized multi-class support vector machine.

  2019cited by this paper
• Feature Extraction and Selection for Pain Recognition Using Peripheral Physiological Signals

  2019cited by this paper
• Correlation feature selection based improved-Binary Particle Swarm Optimization for gene selection and cancer classification

  2018cited by this paper
• Feature Extraction and Selection for Myoelectric Control Based on Wearable EMG Sensors

  2018cited by this paper
• Efficient feature selection and classification for microarray data

  2018cited by this paper
• Retinal artery/vein classification using genetic-search feature selection

  2018cited by this paper
• Absolute cosine-based SVM-RFE feature selection method for prostate histopathological grading

  2018cited by this paper
• Non-Adaptive Methods for Fetal ECG Signal Processing: A Review and Appraisal

  2018cited by this paper
• Chest X-Ray Atlas

  2018cited by this paper
• Optimal feature selection from fNIRS signals using genetic algorithms for BCI.

  2017cited by this paper
• A review on neuroimaging‐based classification studies and associated feature extraction methods for Alzheimer's disease and its prodromal stages

  2017cited by this paper
• PSO-based feature selection and neighborhood rough set-based classification for BCI multiclass motor imagery task

  2017cited by this paper
• Advances in biomedical signal and image processing – A systematic review

  2017cited by this paper
• A comparative review of graph-based ensemble clustering as transformation methods for microarray data classification

  2017cited by this paper
• A hybrid feature selection algorithm for gene expression data classification

  2017cited by this paper
• Automated Diagnosis of Epilepsy Using Key-Point-Based Local Binary Pattern of EEG Signals

  2017cited by this paper
• Breast ultrasound image segmentation: a survey

  2017cited by this paper
• Minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature selection approach for temporal gene expression data

  2017cited by this paper
• Objective quality assessment of retinal images based on texture features

  2017cited by this paper
• A discrete bacterial algorithm for feature selection in classification of microarray gene expression cancer data

  2017cited by this paper
• A novel relational regularization feature selection method for joint regression and classification in AD diagnosis

  2017cited by this paper
• Random Forest Feature Selection, Fusion and Ensemble Strategy: Combining Multiple Morphological MRI Measures to Discriminate among healthy elderly, MCI, cMCI and Alzheimer's disease patients: from the Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) database

  2017cited by this paper
• Two hybrid wrapper-filter feature selection algorithms applied to high-dimensional microarray experiments

  2016cited by this paper
• A learning-based CT prostate segmentation method via joint transductive feature selection and regression

  2016cited by this paper
• Robustness-Driven Feature Selection in Classification of Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease Patterns in Computed Tomography Using 3D Texture Features

  2016cited by this paper
• Multi Filtration Feature Selection (MFFS) to improve discriminatory ability in clinical data set

  2016cited by this paper
• Feature selection for ECG signal processing using improved genetic algorithm and empirical mode decomposition

  2016cited by this paper
• EMG Feature Set Selection Through Linear Relationship for Grasp Recognition

  2016cited by this paper
• Application of wavelet techniques for cancer diagnosis using ultrasound images: A Review

  2016cited by this paper
• CASDES: A Computer-Aided System to Support Dry Eye Diagnosis Based on Tear Film Maps

  2016cited by this paper
• A Review of Classification Techniques of EMG Signals during Isotonic and Isometric Contractions

  2016cited by this paper
• Feature selection and patch-based segmentation in MRI for prostate radiotherapy

  2016cited by this paper
• A comparison of performance of K-complex classification methods using feature selection

  2016cited by this paper
• Hybrid Tolerance Rough Set-Firefly based supervised feature selection for MRI brain tumor image classification

  2016cited by this paper
• Feature Selection Based on Machine Learning in MRIs for Hippocampal Segmentation

  2015cited by this paper
• Distributed feature selection: An application to microarray data classification

  2015cited by this paper
• A Review of Feature Selection and Feature Extraction Methods Applied on Microarray Data

  2015cited by this paper
• Recognizing Common CT Imaging Signs of Lung Diseases Through a New Feature Selection Method Based on Fisher Criterion and Genetic Optimization

  2015cited by this paper
• Reliable Feature Selection for Automated Angle Closure Glaucoma Mechanism Detection

  2015cited by this paper
• A Randomized Controlled Trial of EEG-Based Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface Robotic Rehabilitation for Stroke

  2015cited by this paper
• Evaluating performance of biomedical image retrieval systems - An overview of the medical image retrieval task at ImageCLEF 2004-2013

  2015cited by this paper
• Dealing with inter-expert variability in retinopathy of prematurity: A machine learning approach

  2015cited by this paper
• Seizure detection using EEG and ECG signals for computer-based monitoring, analysis and management of epileptic patients

  2015cited by this paper
• Real-Time Tear Film Classification Through Cost-Based Feature Selection

  2015cited by this paper
• Recent advances and emerging challenges of feature selection in the context of big data

  2015cited by this paper
• Learning features on tear film lipid layer classification

  2015cited by this paper
• Application of entropies for automated diagnosis of epilepsy using EEG signals: A review

  2015cited by this paper
• A Methodology for Improving Tear Film Lipid Layer Classification

  2014cited by this paper
• A Malaria Diagnostic Tool Based on Computer Vision Screening and Visualization of Plasmodium falciparum Candidate Areas in Digitized Blood Smears

  2014cited by this paper
• A framework for cost-based feature selection

  2014cited by this paper
• A review of microarray datasets and applied feature selection methods

  2014cited by this paper
• Automatic segmentation of head and neck CT images for radiotherapy treatment planning using multiple atlases, statistical appearance models, and geodesic active contours.

  2014cited by this paper
• A review of feature selection methods on synthetic data

  2013cited by this paper
• Spectral Feature Selection for Data Mining

  2011cited by this paper
• Colour Texture Analysis for Classifying the Tear Film Lipid Layer: A Comparative Study

  2011cited by this paper
• On the effectiveness of discretization on gene selection of microarray data

  2010cited by this paper
• Cardiac CT imaging : diagnosis of cardiovascular disease

  2010cited by this paper
• A Patient's Guide to Medical Imaging

  2010cited by this paper
• The WEKA data mining software: an update

  2009cited by this paper
• A review of feature selection techniques in bioinformatics

  2007cited by this paper
• Searching for Interacting Features

  2007cited by this paper
• Feature Extraction, Foundations and Applications

  2006cited by this paper
• Multi-platform, multi-site, microarray-based human tumor classification.

  2004cited by this paper
• An extensive comparison of recent classification tools applied to microarray data

  2004cited by this paper
• Consistency-based search in feature selection

  2003cited by this paper
• Correlation-based Feature Selection for Machine Learning

  2003cited by this paper
• Microarray data mining: facing the challenges

  2003cited by this paper
• Assessment of five microarray experiments on gene expression profiling of breast cancer

  2003cited by this paper
• Gene Selection for Cancer Classification using Support Vector Machines

  2002cited by this paper
• Molecular classification of cancer: class discovery and class prediction by gene expression monitoring.

  1999cited by this paper
• Practical feature subset selection for machine learning

  1998cited by this paper
• Non-invasive Tearscope Plus routine for contact lens fitting.

  1998cited by this paper
• Regression Shrinkage and Selection via the Lasso

  1996cited by this paper
• Estimating Attributes: Analysis and Extensions of RELIEF

  1994cited by this paper
• The Feature Selection Problem: Traditional Methods and a New Algorithm

  1992cited by this paper
• Automatic screening of cytological specimens

  1986cited by this paper
• Mammographic Texture Analysis: An Evaluation Of Risk For Developing Breast Cancer

  1986cited by this paper
• Measurement of fluorescein angiograms of the optic disc and retina using computerized image analysis.

  1985cited by this paper
• Instantaneous envelope and phase extraction from real signals: Theory, implementation, and an application to EEG analysis

  1980cited by this paper
• An Optimality Criterion for Processing Electromyographic (EMG) Signals Relating to Human Locomotion

  1978cited by this paper
• Cerebral infarction diagnosis by computerized tomography. Analysis and evaluation of findings.

  1975cited by this paper
• AZTEC, a preprocessing program for real-time ECG rhythm analysis.

  1968cited by this paper
• Dynamic Programming

  1957cited by this paper

• A practical 10-step recipe for conducting radiomic studies

  2026cites this paper
• Machine learning prediction of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes: Emphasizing data imputation and feature selection.

  2026cites this paper
• Toward Reliable Battery Life Prediction: A Hybrid Data-Driven Framework with Uncertainty Quantification

  2026cites this paper
• Enhanced fNIRS-Based MCI Detection via Resting-State and Task-State Integration With Spatial–Temporal Feature Reduction

  2026cites this paper
• From Segmentation to Disease Prediction: A Systematic Review of AI Methods for Adipose Tissue Analysis in Medical Imaging

  2026cites this paper
• Performance Optimization of Naive Bayes Classification Using Filter-Based Feature Selection

  2026cites this paper
• Motor insurance data analysis by quantum machine learning

  2026cites this paper
• Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) in medical imaging: a systematic review of techniques, applications, and challenges

  2026cites this paper
• RA-MOFS: a robustness-aware multi-objective feature selection framework for PPG-based arterial stiffness prediction

  2026cites this paper
• From injury to comeback: A systematic review of machine learning models predicting return to sport in athletes

  2026cites this paper
• Metaheuristic Optimization of Random Forest for Lung Cancer Prediction

  2026cites this paper
• A knowledge-guided feature selection method for lung cancer immunotherapy response prediction via pathology image analysis

  2026cites this paper
• Ensemble Machine Learning with Limited Data: Feature Selection and Predicting Wheat Yield in Bangladesh

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation site prediction using LightGBM and hybrid sequence features

  2025cites this paper
• Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease using machine learning and blood biomarkers

  2025cites this paper
• Microsensor Array for the Electrochemical Analysis of Hydroxyurea in Blood Samples of Children Affected by Sickle Cell Anemia.

  2025cites this paper
• Assessing Postpartum Levator Ani Muscle Recovery: A Feasibility Study on Automated Texture Analysis in Transvaginal Ultrasound

  2025cites this paper
• Prediction of ectopic pregnancy using interpretable machine learning algorithms

  2025cites this paper
• Introducing the Mutated Binary Whale Optimization Algorithm for Rice Leaf Disease Classification

  2025cites this paper
• Model-Based Feature Selection Using Structural Equation Modeling for Enhanced Classification Performance in High-Dimensional Datasets

  2025cites this paper
• A comparative study of imputation techniques for missing values in healthcare diagnostic datasets

  2025cites this paper
• Recent metaheuristic algorithms for multi-objective feature selection: review, applications, open issues and challenges

  2025cites this paper
• Analyzing Retinal Vessel Morphology in MS Using Interpretable AI on Deep Learning-Segmented IR-SLO Images

  2025cites this paper
• E-DANN: An Enhanced Domain Adaptation Network for Audio-EEG Feature Decoupling in Explainable Depression Recognition

  2025cites this paper
• Improving machine learning detection of Alzheimer disease using enhanced manta ray gene selection of Alzheimer gene expression datasets

  2025cites this paper
• Applications of machine learning and multimodal integration for the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases (Review)

  2025cites this paper
• Machine learning prediction of kangaroo mother care in Sierra Leone: a comparative study of feature selection techniques and classification algorithms

  2025cites this paper
• Evolutionary bi-level neural architecture search with training: A framework for color classification

  2025cites this paper
• Prediction of Microsatellite Instability in Colorectal Cancer Using Two Internally Validated Radiomic Models

  2025cites this paper
• Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Carotid Plaques Classification using CT Images and Hybrid Deep Transfer Learning

  2025cites this paper
• A Novel Hybrid Deep Learning Model Based on Simulated Annealing and Cuckoo Search Algorithms for Automatic Radiomics‐Based COVID‐19 Diagnosis

  2025cites this paper
• From pixels to prognosis: Leveraging radiomics and machine learning to predict IDH1 genotype in gliomas

  2025cites this paper
• Detection of pediatric developmental delay with machine learning technologies

  2025cites this paper
• P-CAFE: Personalized Cost-Aware Incremental Feature Selection For Electronic Health Records

  2025cites this paper
• Unraveling the drivers of leptospirosis risk in Thailand using machine learning

  2025cites this paper
• Feature selection for high-dimensional data based on scaled cross operator threshold filtering specific memory algorithm

  2025cites this paper
• Advances in Acoustic Emission Monitoring for Grinding of Hard and Brittle Materials

  2025cites this paper
• Binary Banyan tree growth optimization: A practical approach to high-dimensional feature selection

  2025cites this paper
• Evaluation of the impact of expert knowledge: How decision support scores impact the effectiveness of automatic knowledge-driven feature engineering (aKDFE)

  2025cites this paper
• A Review of the Applications, Benefits, and Challenges of Generative AI for Sustainable Toxicology

  2025cites this paper
• From Pixels to Perception: Interpretable Predictions via Instance-wise Grouped Feature Selection

  2025cites this paper
• Investigating activity recognition in smart homes through embedded feature selection

  2025influential citation
• On the Deployment of Edge AI Models for Surface Electromyography-Based Hand Gesture Recognition

  2025cites this paper
• Angular correlation-based feature selection for machine learning classification of manual automatisms using body sensor network data

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing sustainability in tyre manufacturing with machine learning and knowledge graphs: An energy-based maintenance solution

  2025cites this paper
• Feature Ranking on Small Samples: A Bayes-Based Approach

  2025cites this paper
• A machine learning framework for pseudo-targeted screening of emerging contaminants: A case study of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances

  2025cites this paper
• An efficient machine-learning framework for predicting protein post-translational modification sites

  2025cites this paper
• A Hybrid Ensemble Equilibrium Optimizer Gene Selection Algorithm for Microarray Data

  2025cites this paper
• Ensemble filter RL feature selection method based on MW-shaped transfer function for high-dimensional cancer gene expression data

  2025cites this paper
• Advances in machine learning for predicting fatigue behavior: from material properties to fatigue life and fatigue crack growth

  2025cites this paper
• Heterogeneous feature selection with group structure mining in fuzzy decision systems for medical diagnosis

  2025cites this paper
• Machine Learning-Based Assessment of Psoriasis Using Real-World Clinical Data from Egyptian Population

  2025cites this paper
• Revealing gait as a murine biomarker of injury, disease, and age with multivariate statistics and machine learning

  2025cites this paper
• Machine Learning based Radiomics Analysis of SPECT Images in Predicting Neuroendocrine Tumors

  2025cites this paper
• Novel binary walrus optimization algorithms BWaOA and BWaOA-C with crossover operator for feature selection in high-dimensional data

  2025cites this paper
• Comparative study of coronary artery disease prediction: conventional QRISK3 versus enhanced machine learning models combined with particle swarm optimisation algorithm

  2025cites this paper
• Evaluation of centre‐specific machine learning models in predicting 2‐year outcomes of hip arthroscopy for mixed femoracetabular impingement syndrome

  2025cites this paper
• Integrating quantum and classical machine learning for predicting remission in systemic lupus erythematosus

  2025cites this paper
• When sample size is tiny, outcomes rare and clinical pictures fuzzy-Practical ways to survive statistical pitfalls.

  2025cites this paper
• Bridging Signal Intelligence and Clinical Insight: A Comprehensive Review of Feature Engineering, Model Interpretability, and Machine Learning in Biomedical Signal Analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Feature Selection in the Age of Large Language Models: Insights from DeepSeek

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing the Efficiency of the Grouping-Scoring-Modeling Framework with Statistical Pre-Scoring Component for Transcriptomic Data Analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Impact of [18F]FDG PET/CT Radiomics and Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Decision Making in Lung Cancer: Its Current Role.

  2025cites this paper
• Improving Breast Cancer Diagnosis Using Grammatical Evolution-Based Feature Selection

  2025cites this paper
• Interpretable and multimodal fusion methodology to predict severe hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes

  2025cites this paper
• The Social Construction of Categorical Data: Mixed Methods Approach to Assessing Data Features in Publicly Available Datasets

  2025cites this paper
• Advancing Sustainable Aviation Fuel Design: Machine Learning for High-Energy-Density Liquid Polycyclic Hydrocarbons

  2025cites this paper
• An improved soft voting-based machine learning technique to detect breast cancer utilizing effective feature selection and SMOTE-ENN class balancing

  2025cites this paper
• An ensemble learning model for detection of pulmonary hypertension using electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, and brain natriuretic peptide

  2025cites this paper
• Estimation of elbow flexion torque using equilibrium optimizer on feature selection of NMES MMG signals and hyperparameter tuning of random forest regression

  2025cites this paper
• Feasibility study of texture-based machine learning approach for early detection of neonatal jaundice

  2025influential citation
• Diagnosis of pes planus from X-ray images: Enhanced feature selection with deep learning and machine learning techniques

  2025cites this paper
• Union and Intersection K-Fold Feature Selection

  2025cites this paper
• Increasing the accuracy of Melanoma classification by exploiting firefly algorithm and fine-tuned CNNs

  2025cites this paper
• SEMG-Based Complex Human In-Hand Motion Recognition for Dexterous Robotic Manipulation

  2025cites this paper
• Efficient detection and classification of brain tumors using a novel local binary pattern

  2025cites this paper
• Process management in diabetes treatment by blending technique

  2025cites this paper
• Confident local similarity graphs for unsupervised feature selection on incomplete multi-view data

  2025cites this paper
• Cancer classification in high dimensional microarray gene expressions by feature selection using eagle prey optimization

  2025cites this paper
• Discernibility in explanations: an approach to designing more acceptable and meaningful machine learning models for medicine

  2025cites this paper
• Classification of collagen remodeling in asthma using second-harmonic generation imaging, supervised machine learning and texture-based analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Comprehensive Review of Hybrid Feature Selection Methods for Microarray-Based Cancer Detection

  2025cites this paper
• HFSA: hybrid feature selection approach to improve medical diagnostic system

  2025cites this paper
• Insights into radiomics: a comprehensive review for beginners

  2025cites this paper
• Double Filter and Double Wrapper Feature Selection Algorithm for High-Dimensional Data Analysis

  2025cites this paper
• An improved Red-billed blue magpie feature selection algorithm for medical data processing

  2025cites this paper
• Predicting seizure onset zones from interictal intracranial EEG using functional connectivity and machine learning

  2025cites this paper
• Explainable machine learning models for mortality prediction in patients with sepsis in tertiary care hospital ICU in low- to middle-income countries

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing Heart Attack Prediction: Feature Identification from Multiparametric Cardiac Data Using Explainable AI

  2025cites this paper
• Advancing electric vehicle inverter multi-class transient fault detection with sequential binary classification techniques

  2025cites this paper
• Machine learning for detection of diffusion abnormalities-related respiratory changes among normal, overweight, and obese individuals based on BMI and pulmonary ventilation parameters: an observational study

  2025cites this paper
• A Survey on Machine Learning Approaches for Personalized Coaching with Human Digital Twins

  2025cites this paper
• Hybrid classical and quantum computing for enhanced glioma tumor classification using TCGA data

  2025influential citation
• Machine Learning-Based Age Prediction with Feature Subset Selection from Magnetic Resonance Angiography Data

  2025cites this paper
• Semi-supervised feature selection with concept factorization and robust label learning

  2025cites this paper
• Machine Learning-Based Classification of Cervical Lymph Nodes in HNSCC: A Radiomics Approach with Feature Selection Optimization

  2025cites this paper
• Identifying Key Features for Establishing Sustainable Agro-Tourism Centre: A Data Driven Approach

  2025cites this paper
• Enhancing Diagnostic Accuracy of Neurological Disorders Through Feature-Driven Multi-Class Classification with Machine Learning

  2025cites this paper
• Comparison of hybrid binary GWO-PSO algorithm with feature selection methods by using machine learning classifiers

  2025cites this paper