Zero-shot Domain Generalization of Foundational Models for 3D Medical Image Segmentation: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Domain shift, caused by variations in imaging modalities and acquisition protocols, limits model generalization in medical image segmentation. While foundation models (FMs) trained on diverse large-scale data hold promise for zero-shot generalization, their application to volumetric medical data remains underexplored. In this study, we examine their ability towards domain generalization (DG), by conducting a comprehensive experimental study encompassing 6 medical segmentation FMs and 12 public datasets spanning multiple modalities and anatomies. Our findings reveal the potential of promptable FMs in bridging the domain gap via smart prompting techniques. Additionally, by probing into multiple facets of zero-shot DG, we offer valuable insights into the viability of FMs for DG and identify promising avenues for future research.