Stronger Western Blot Manipulation Detection

By  Sofiia | Apr 1, 2026
Stronger Western Blot Manipulation Detection

Imagetwin’s manipulation detection now covers a broader range of alterations in Western blots, and does so even more accurately than before.

What's New

We have released a new detection model that expands coverage and improves accuracy across all manipulation types:

  • Vertical splices: the most common type flagged on PubPeer
  • Horizontal splices: typically indicative of deliberate alteration
  • Copy-paste forgeries: detected where the manipulation results in at least a partial alteration around the forged area
 

Previously, these were treated as separate detection tasks. Going forward, we handle them under a single umbrella: manipulation detection. Whether a region was spliced in or cloned from elsewhere, what matters is that the image shows an inconsistency, and we flag it.

Detection Performance

The new model outperforms its predecessor on every metric we track:

  • False positive rate down from 2.4% to 1.7%
  • Detection rate up by 14 percentage points on splices
  • Additional gains on copy-paste forgeries and horizontal splices

What You See in the Interface

When a Western blot is flagged, you now see two things: the original panel, and a color-coded version of it where suspicious regions are highlighted. Areas of concern appear in color – the brighter, the more suspicious. You can adjust the transparency and apply filters to either or both sides to investigate further.

The overall result is summarized as a single alteration score for the image. If something looks off, it shows as “1 Alteration,” regardless of whether it’s a splice, a horizontal cut, or a copy-paste forgery.

Looking Ahead

Western blots are just the beginning. We are currently looking into extending manipulation detection to other image types, such as microscopic images, FACS plots, and light photography.

Manipulation detection is available through the web application and the API.

Frequently asked questions

Imagetwin’s manipulation detection model identifies vertical splices, horizontal splices, and copy-paste forgeries in Western blot images. Suspicious regions are highlighted in a color-coded overlay directly in the interface, with brighter areas indicating higher concern. The current false positive rate is 1.7%, and detection rate on splices improved by 14 percentage points with the latest model update.

Both tools detect Western blot manipulation. Imagetwin’s latest model covers vertical splices, horizontal splices, and copy-paste forgeries under a unified detection framework, with a 1.7% false positive rate. Beyond Western blots, Imagetwin also screens for cross-publication image plagiarism against a database of 160M+ published figures, detects AI-generated images, and integrates directly into publisher workflows including ScholarOne and Wiley’s Research Exchange. For publishers and institutions that need both manipulation detection and cross-publication screening in one tool, Imagetwin covers both.

Imagetwin detects manipulation across several categories: splicing (vertical and horizontal cuts), copy-paste forgeries, duplication within and across publications, and AI-generated figures. Western blot detection is currently the most developed, with expansion underway to microscopy images, FACS plots, and light photography. Detection is available via the web application and API.

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Frequently asked questions

Imagetwin is software designed to detect integrity issues in figures of scientific articles. It helps identify inappropriate manipulations and duplications in various figure types, including western blots, microscopy images, and light photography.

Imagetwin is beneficial for researchers, peer reviewers, journal editors, and institutions aiming to uphold the quality and trustworthiness of scientific publications by ensuring the integrity of visual data.

Users can upload a PDF or multiple image files to Imagetwin. The software then scans the content using algorithms and vast databases of published scientific figures to detect potential integrity issues. Within seconds, results are presented through a web interface, highlighting any detected problems for review.

Yes, we prioritize data privacy and security, ensuring that all image indexing and exchanges are protected with industry-standard encryption and security best practices.

Create an account and start using Imagetwin immediately. We prepared a few example documents that you can scan free of charge.

Yes, Imagetwin is a powerful addition to the peer-review process. It automatically detects various integrity issues, which can then be quickly verified by a reviewer, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of the review process. Imagetwin also partners with industry leaders in publishing and scholarly workflows, such as Morressier, TNQ Technologies and more, transforming how research is submitted, reviewed and published.

For more detailed guidance on using Imagetwin, contact our support team through our Contact Us page.