Advanced Image Analysis Tools for Diabetic Retinopathy Telemedicine Applications

描述(由申请人提供)：摘要在这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目中，我们介绍了AIART：用于糖尿病视网膜病变远程医疗应用的高级图像分析工具。AIART(发音为EYE-ART)凭借其自动图像分析工具和用户友好的远程医疗网络界面，将使糖尿病视网膜病变筛查的指数性增长成为可能，从而满足随着糖尿病患者数量多年来的攀升而产生的重大健康需求。从基因上讲，拉美裔人群更容易患糖尿病。缺乏意识、缺乏保险覆盖范围以及找不到专业临床医生等因素极大地增加了这种差异人口对失明的易感性。 洛杉矶县的情况尤其严峻，那里积压了数千名等待看眼科医生的患者，导致预约等待时间非常长(通常超过六个月)。为了帮助降低这一人群的视力丧失风险，我们建议将先进的图像分析算法与现有的远程医疗计划结合使用，以实现更快的筛查，允许重新确定眼科医生预约的优先顺序，并提供患者教育工具。我们的自动图像分析算法代表了图像处理、计算机视觉和机器学习研究的前沿。分析引擎将与现有的、广受欢迎的远程医疗倡议EyePACS提供的简单、易于使用的基于网络的远程医疗基础设施紧密结合。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Abstract In this small business innovations research (SBIR) project, we present aiArt: Advanced Image Analysis Tools for Diabetic Retinopathy Telemedicine applications. aiArt (pronounced eye-art), with its automated image analysis tools and user-friendly telemedicine web-interface, will enable exponential expansion of diabetic retinopathy screenings, thus fulfilling a significant health need as the number of people with diabetes climbs over the years. Latino population is genetically more prone to diabetes. Factors such as lack of awareness, lack of insurance coverage, and lack of access to expert clinicians greatly increase this disparity population's vulnerability to blindness due to DR. The situation is particularly grim in Los Angeles County, where there is a backlog of several thousand patients waiting to see an ophthalmologist, causing very long appointment wait times (often over six months). To help reduce risk of vision loss in this population, we propose to use advanced image analysis algorithms in conjunction with existing telemedicine initiatives to enable faster screening, allow reprioritization of ophthalmologist appointments, and to provide patient education tools. Our automated image analysis algorithms represent cutting-edge of research in image processing, computer vision, and machine learning. The analysis engine will be closely integrated with simple, easy-to-use web-based telemedicine infrastructure provided by an existing, popular, telemedicine initiative, EyePACS.