# A Novel Convolutional-Free Method for 3D Medical Imaging Segmentation

Source: [A Novel Convolutional-Free Method for 3D Medical Imaging Segmentation](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa76e11e209131cea6f9ad>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-26T04:04:15.628Z

Authors: Canxuan Gang

Published: 2025-02-08T00:52:45.000Z

## Abstract

Segmentation of 3D medical images is a critical task for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have dominated the field, achieving significant success in 3D medical image segmentation. However, CNNs struggle with capturing long-range dependencies and global context, limiting their performance, particularly for fine and complex structures. Recent transformer-based models, such as TransUNet and nnFormer, have demonstrated promise in addressing these limitations, though they still rely on hybrid CNN-transformer architectures. This paper introduces a novel, fully convolutional-free model based on transformer architecture and self-attention mechanisms for 3D medical image segmentation. Our approach focuses on improving multi-semantic segmentation accuracy and addressing domain adaptation challenges between thick and thin slice CT images. We propose a joint loss function that facilitates effective segmentation of thin slices based on thick slice annotations, overcoming limitations in dataset availability. Furthermore, we present a benchmark dataset for multi-semantic segmentation on thin slices, addressing a gap in current medical imaging research. Our experiments demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model over traditional and hybrid architectures, offering new insights into the future of convolution-free medical image segmentation.

## Recorded benchmark results

A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage.

## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.05396>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/2502.05396.pdf>)
