Attention-guided hybrid CNN–transformer framework for cross-modality COVID-19 detection and lesion localization in CT and chest X-ray images

Accurate and interpretable analysis of thoracic medical images is essential for reliable COVID-19 diagnosis; however, existing approaches face significant challenges in jointly performing classification and lesion localization across multiple imaging modalities. Suboptimal diagnostic knowledge and limited spatial awareness are the results of conventional deep learning approaches, especially models based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). These methods mainly concentrate on local feature ex