# Visual-TCAV: Concept-based Attribution and Saliency Maps for Post-hoc Explainability in Image Classification Source: [Visual-TCAV: Concept-based Attribution and Saliency Maps for Post-hoc Explainability in Image Classification]() Collection index: [llms.txt]() Data updated: 2026-06-11T05:00:14.404Z Authors: Antonio De Santis, Riccardo Campi, Matteo Bianchi, Marco Brambilla Published: 2024-11-08T16:52:52.000Z ## Abstract Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown remarkable performance in image classification. However, interpreting their predictions is challenging due to the size and complexity of these models. State-of-the-art saliency methods generate local explanations highlighting the area in the input image where a class is identified but cannot explain how a concept of interest contributes to the prediction. On the other hand, concept-based methods, such as TCAV, provide insights into how sensitive the network is to a human-defined concept but cannot compute its attribution in a specific prediction nor show its location within the input image. We introduce Visual-TCAV, a novel explainability framework aiming to bridge the gap between these methods by providing both local and global explanations. Visual-TCAV uses Concept Activation Vectors (CAVs) to generate class-agnostic saliency maps that show where the network recognizes a certain concept. Moreover, it can estimate the attribution of these concepts to the output of any class using a generalization of Integrated Gradients. We evaluate the method's faithfulness via a controlled experiment where the ground truth for explanations is known, showing better ground truth alignment than TCAV. Our code is available at https://github.com/DataSciencePolimi/Visual-TCAV. ## 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]() [PDF]()