Computer algorithms for the automated measurement of retinal arteriolar diameters
N Chapmana, N Witta b, X Gaoa, A A Bharathb, A V Stantona, S A Thoma, A D Hughesa
a Department
of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine at NHLI, Imperial College
of Science, Technology and Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, London
W2 1NY, UK, b Department of Biological and Medical Systems,
The Bagrit Centre, Imperial College of Science, Technology and
Medicine, London SW7 2BX, UK
Correspondence to: Dr N Chapman n.chapman{at}ic.ac.uk
Accepted for publication 18 May 2000
AIMS
Quantification of
retinal vascular change is difficult and manual measurements of
vascular features are slow and subject to observer bias. These problems
may be overcome using computer algorithms. Three automated methods and
a manual method for measurement of arteriolar diameters from digitised
red-free retinal photographs were compared.
METHODS60 diameters
(in pixels) measured by manual identification of vessel edges in
red-free retinal images were compared with diameters measured by (1)
fitting vessel intensity profiles to a double Gaussian function by
non-linear regression, (2) a standard edge detection algorithm (Sobel),
and (3) determination of points of maximum intensity variation by a
sliding linear regression filter (SLRF). Method agreement was analysed
using Bland-Altman plots and the repeatability of each method was assessed.
RESULTSDiameter
estimations obtained using the SLRF method were the least scattered
although diameters obtained were approximately 3 pixels greater than
those measured manually. The SLRF method was the most repeatable and
the Gaussian method less so. The Sobel method was the least consistent
owing to frequent misinterpretation of the light reflex as the vessel edge.
CONCLUSIONOf the
three automated methods compared, the SLRF method was the most
consistent (defined as the method producing diameter estimations with
the least scatter) and the most repeatable in measurements of retinal
arteriolar diameter. Application of automated methods of retinal
vascular analysis may be useful in the assessment of cardiovascular and
other diseases.
© 2001 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
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