An Automatic Tool for Quantification of Nerve Fibers in Corneal Confocal Microscopy Images.
An Automatic Tool for Quantification of Nerve Fibers in Corneal Confocal Microscopy Images.
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DOI：
10.1109/tbme.2016.2573642
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发表时间：
2017-04
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Malik RA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Chen X;Graham J;Dabbah MA;Petropoulos IN;Tavakoli M;Malik RA
我们描述和评估一个自动化的软件工具，用于角膜共焦显微镜（CCM）图像中的神经纤维检测和定量，结合敏感的神经纤维检测与形态描述符。我们已经评估了量化的工具，糖尿病感觉运动性多发性神经病（DSPN）使用新的和以前发表的形态学特征。该评估使用了来自176名受试者（84名对照和92名1型糖尿病患者）的888张图像。患者组进一步分为有DSPN组（n=63）和无DSPN组（n=29）。我们实现了改进的神经纤维检测比以前的结果（91.7%的灵敏度和特异性识别神经纤维像素）。神经形态的自动量化显示与先前报告的手动测量的特征的高度相关性。手动和自动测量方案的ROC分析在区分患有DSPN的患者与没有DSPN的患者方面产生了相似的结果：在等误差率点处，AUC约为0.77和72%的灵敏度-特异性。CCM图像中角膜神经的自动量化为识别DSPN提供了灵敏的工具。其性能相当于手动量化，同时提高了速度和可重复性。角膜共聚焦显微镜是一种新型的活体成像方式，有可能成为周围神经病变的非侵入性和客观的图像生物标志物。神经形态的自动量化是早期诊断和进展评估的重要一步，特别是用于临床试验以确定糖尿病和其他周围神经病变的治疗益处。
We describe and evaluate an automated software tool for nerve fibre detection and quantification in corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) images, combining sensitive nerve-fibre detection with morphological descriptors. We have evaluated the tool for quantification of Diabetic Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy (DSPN) using both new and previously published morphological features. The evaluation used 888 images from 176 subjects (84 controls and 92 patients with Type 1 diabetes). The patient group was further subdivided into those with (n=63) and without (n=29) DSPN. We achieve improved nerve-fibre detection over previous results (91.7% sensitivity and specificity in identifying nerve-fibre pixels). Automatic quantification of nerve morphology shows a high correlation with previously reported, manually measured, features. ROC analysis of both manual and automatic measurement regimes resulted in similar results in distinguishing patients with DSPN from those without: AUC of about 0.77 and 72% sensitivity-specificity at the equal error rate point. Automated quantification of corneal nerves in CCM images provides a sensitive tool for identification of DSPN. Its performance is equivalent to manual quantification, while improving speed and repeatability. Corneal confocal microscopy is a novel in-vivo imaging modality that has the potential to be a non-invasive and objective image biomarker for peripheral neuropathy. Automatic quantification of nerve morphology is a major step forward in the early diagnosis and assessment of progression, and, in particular, for use in clinical trials to establish therapeutic benefit in diabetic and other peripheral neuropathies.