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Research Paper #914

Title:Image Processing Techniques for the Quantification of Atherosclerotic Changes
Authors:Chandrinos,K; Pilu,M; Fisher,RB; Trahanias,P
Date:Jun 1998
Presented:Presented at the 8th Mediterranean Conf. on Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, Cyprus, June 1998
Keywords:
Abstract:This paper describes the design and implementation of an off-line, non-invasive, automated method for the examination and follow-up of the arteriosclerotic changes due to hypertension, with the help of digital image processing of fundus images. This method would help in evaluating the efficacy of various treatments on the regression and reversion of arteriosclerotic lesions. This method, in interactuion with appropriate knowledge bases, can be used at the clinical practice for monitoring hypertensive patients on a frequent basis, hence it aims at minimum discomfort of the patient, by-passing even the regular fluorescien injection for fundus image enhancement. Our method is based on segmenting the vasculature by identifying the centerline of each vessel utilizing the idea that vessels present a ridge in cross-sectional intensity profiles. Therefore, such a ridge can be detected along the vessels, as if there was three-dimensional information. Once the vasculature is segmented we present image-based measuring techniques for length to next bifurcation, vessel calibre, wall thickness and we introduce a novel measure of tortuosity. All our measurements are automatic, with minimal assumptions, and they are calibrated by means of the papilla which is considered of standard size. To achieve this, we implement a locating technique for finding and measuring the papilla on fundus images.
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