IP Library Granted Patent US 10,694,940
Granted Patent B2
US 10,694,940 · App. 16/177,946 · Granted Jun 30, 2020

Ophthalmic imaging system with automatic retinal feature detection

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,694,940
App. No.
16/177,946
Granted
Jun 30, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of automatically detecting a retinal feature using an ophthalmic imaging system and automatically providing at least one of an audio, visual, and tactile indication of the detected retinal feature to a user.

Claims (63)

1. A system, comprising:

an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system configured to acquire an OCT image of a retina;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:

segment the OCT image to identify a neurosensory retina and an inner limiting membrane of the neurosensory retina;

generate a plurality of metrics based on the segmented OCT image, wherein the plurality of metrics includes:

a thickness of the neurosensory retina in a first area of the retina and a second area of the retina; and

a radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area of the retina and the second area of the retina;

wherein the first and the second areas of the retina are adjacent; compare the thickness of the neurosensory retina and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area with the thickness of the neurosensory retina and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the second area;

determine that the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the first area differs from the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the second area and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area differs from the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the second area; based on the determination, indicate a location of a probable retinal break to a user.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display; and

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

generate a combined image comprising a visual indicator overlaid on the OCT image or a fundus image; and

provide the combined image to the display.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display; and

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

generate a pseudo color map representative of a probability of the location of the retinal break; and

provide the pseudo color map to the display.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tactile device configured to provide tactile or haptic feedback indicating the location of at least one of the first area and the second area based on the tactile indicator generated by the instructions.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the OCT system is configured to acquire a three-dimensional OCT image.

6. A system, comprising:

an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system configured to acquire an OCT image of a retina; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:

segment the OCT image to identify a neurosensory retina and an inner limiting membrane of the neurosensory retina;

generate a plurality of metrics based on the segmented OCT image, wherein the plurality of metrics includes:

a thickness of the neurosensory retina in a first area of the retina and a second area of the retina; and

a radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area of the retina and the second area of the retina;

wherein the first and the second areas of the retina are adjacent; compare the thickness of the neurosensory retina and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area with the thickness of the neurosensory retina and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the second area;

determine that a difference in the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the first area and the second area meets or exceeds a first threshold and a difference in the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area and the second area i-s meets or exceeds a second threshold; and based on the determination, indicate a location of a probable retinal break to a user.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold is configurable by the user.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to adjust at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold based on patient-specific characteristics.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a display; and

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

generate a combined image comprising a visual indicator overlaid on the OCT image or a fundus image; and

provide the combined image to the display.

10. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a display; and

wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:

generate a pseudo color map representative of a probability of the location of the retinal break; and

provide the pseudo color map to the display.

11. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a tactile device configured to provide tactile or haptic feedback indicating the location of at least one of the first area and the second area based on the tactile indicator generated by the instructions.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the OCT system is configured to acquire a three-dimensional OCT image.

13. A method, comprising:

acquiring an OCT image of a retina with an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system of an ophthalmic surgical system;

segmenting the OCT image by an image processor of the ophthalmic surgical system to identify a neurosensory retina and an inner limiting membrane of the neurosensory retina;

generating, by the image processor, the a plurality of metrics based on the segmented OCT image, wherein the plurality of metrics includes:

a thickness of the neurosensory retina in a first area of the retina and a second area of the retina; and

a radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area of the retina and the second area of the retina;

wherein the first and the second areas of the retina are adjacent; determining, by the image processor, at least one of the following:

the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the first area is less than the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the second area and the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area is greater than the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the second area; and

a difference in the thickness of the neurosensory retina in the first area and the second area meets or exceeds a first threshold and a difference in the radius of curvature of the inner limiting membrane in the first area and the second area meets or exceeds a second threshold; and based on the determination, providing at least one of an audio, visual, and tactile indicator to indicate a location of a probable retinal break to a user.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

adjusting at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold based on patient-specific characteristics.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising

generating, by the ophthalmic surgical system, a combined image comprising the visual indicator overlaid on the OCT image or a fundus image; and

providing the combined image to a display.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising

generating, by the ophthalmic surgical system, a pseudo color map representative of a probability of the location of the retinal break; and

providing the pseudo color map to a display.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising

providing tactile or haptic feedback indicating the location of the probable retinal break.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY DEED OF ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE APRIL 8, 2019 Recorded Dec 10, 2019
From: NOVARTIS AG
To: ALCON INC.
Reel/Frame 051454/0788 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2018
From: REN, HUGANG; YU, LINGFENG
To: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
Reel/Frame 047385/0510 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2018
From: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
To: NOVARTIS AG
Reel/Frame 047385/0570 →