Current retinal segmentation algorithms are based on layer or layer-boundary delineation. Although it works well for cases without sever structural abnormality, its applicability to heavily damaged tissue is low.
In this study, we demonstrate pixel-wise segmentation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroidal stroma by using multiple contrasts obtained by Jones-matrix OCT (JM-OCT). The method can be applicable equally to normal and pathologic cases.
A custom made posterior JM-OCT is used to obtain multi-contrast retinal images. A single scan of JM-OCT provides multiple images including scattering OCT, attenuation coefficient, birefringence, degree-of-polarization uniformity, and OCT angiography.
The tissue segmentation is done by applying a threshold to a “feature” which is a synthesized from the multi-contrast images. For RPE segmentation, the feature is defined as the third order combination of the optical contrasts. Then, the pixel is classified as RPE if the feature is larger than a particular threshold value. For choroidal stromal segmentation, another feature is defined as a second order combination of the optical features.
After segmenting the RPE and choroidal stroma, RPE thickness map, RPE elevation map, whole choroidal thickness map, choroidal stromal thickness map, and choroidal vessel/stromal ratio map are generated in a normal and a myopic CNV complicated with non-sunset Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH-mCNV) cases. The generated maps of VKH-mCNV case visualize the absence of RPE, thinner choroidal thickness than normal case, and CNVs.
We non-invasively evaluated choroidal melanin contents in human eyes with PS-OCT. We calculated the percentage area of low DOPU in the choroidal interstitial stroma for Vogt-Koyanagi- Harada disease with sunset glow fundus, without sunset glow fundus, control group and tessellated fundus with high myopia. The mean percentage area of low DOPU in the sunset group was significantly lower than the other groups. PS-OCT provides an in vivo objective evaluation of choroidal melanin loss in vivo human eyes.
Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a functional extension of OCT that contrasts the polarization properties of tissues. It has been applied to ophthalmology, cardiology, etc. Proper quantitative imaging is required for a widespread clinical utility. However, the conventional method of averaging to improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast of the phase retardation (or birefringence) images introduce a noise bias offset from the true value. This bias reduces the effectiveness of birefringence contrast for a quantitative study. Although coherent averaging of Jones matrix tomography has been widely utilized and has improved the image quality, the fundamental limitation of nonlinear dependency of phase retardation and birefringence to the SNR was not overcome. So the birefringence obtained by PS-OCT was still not accurate for a quantitative imaging.
The nonlinear effect of SNR to phase retardation and birefringence measurement was previously formulated in detail for a Jones matrix OCT (JM-OCT) [1]. Based on this, we had developed a maximum a-posteriori (MAP) estimator and quantitative birefringence imaging was demonstrated [2]. However, this first version of estimator had a theoretical shortcoming. It did not take into account the stochastic nature of SNR of OCT signal.
In this paper, we present an improved version of the MAP estimator which takes into account the stochastic property of SNR. This estimator uses a probability distribution function (PDF) of true local retardation, which is proportional to birefringence, under a specific set of measurements of the birefringence and SNR. The PDF was pre-computed by a Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation based on the mathematical model of JM-OCT before the measurement. A comparison between this new MAP estimator, our previous MAP estimator [2], and the standard mean estimator is presented. The comparisons are performed both by numerical simulation and in vivo measurements of anterior and posterior eye segment as well as in skin imaging. The new estimator shows superior performance and also shows clearer image contrast.
Quantitative evaluation of optical properties of choroid and sclera are performed by multifunctional optical coherence
tomography. Five normal eyes, five glaucoma eyes and one choroidal atrophy eye are examined. The refractive error was
found to be correlated with choroidal birefringence, polarization uniformity, and flow in addition to scleral birefringence
among normal eyes. The significant differences were observed between the normal and the glaucoma eyes, as for
choroidal polarization uniformity, flow and scleral birefringence. An automatic segmentation algorithm of retinal
pigment epithelium and chorioscleral interface based on multifunctional signals is also presented.
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