Photoreceptor Integrity Software

描述（由申请人提供）：这项研究将对减少美国人的失明和视力丧失产生重大和潜在的广泛影响。许多与失明和视力丧失有关的主要眼病会干扰和损害光感受器。这项研究将使研究人员能够研究影响光感受器的疾病和病症的特征、原因和未来的治疗方法。随后的软件产品将生成光感受器完整性层（PIL）和相关邻近层的图像，这些层是光感受器的内源性标记，与许多主要致盲疾病有关。该软件最初将出售给研究这些疾病的病因和治疗方法的研究人员，随后将面向临床使用，用于评估病情以管理治疗。第一阶段项目涉及算法和软件的研究和开发，这些算法和软件可以从光感受器层内及其附近的光学相干断层扫描产生图像和测量结果——最值得注意的是从PIL开始，PIL传统上被认为代表内段/外段连接，是光感受器的一个组成部分。这些层在物理上和生理上都与光感受器相连，因此它们的损害会影响许多主要疾病的视力丧失，如年龄相关性黄斑变性、地理萎缩和视网膜色素变性。该软件将帮助研究人员描述和研究这些疾病的进展和病理生理学。它将为从业者提供客观的措施来评估这些条件，以管理治疗。最重要的新颖之处是：(1)它将完全自动化，不需要人工操作，这对从业者来说是必不可少的。(2)为研究和实际临床应用定义了一套独特的图像和测量方法。(3)一种新颖的数学方法，首次涉及三维活动表面轮廓和我们设计的一种新颖的优化函数。这将是第一个具有此功能的商业产品。容易

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research will have a significant and potentially broad impact on reducing blindness and vision loss of Americans. Many predominant eye conditions, associated with blindness and vision loss, disturb and compromise the photoreceptors. This research will enable researchers to study the characteristics, causes and future treatments of diseases and conditions that affect photoreceptors. The ensuing software product will produce images of the photoreceptor- integrity layer (PIL), and related nearby layers, which are endogenous markers of the photoreceptors and are linked to many predominant blinding diseases. The software will be sold initially to researchers of the causes and treatments of these diseases and, later, it will be aimed at clinical use, for evaluating conditions to manage treatments. The Phase I project involves the study and development of algorithms and software that produce images and measurements from optical coherence tomography in and near the photoreceptor layer - starting most notably with the PIL that is traditionally thought to represent the inner-segment/outer-segment junction and is a component of the photoreceptors. These layers are connected physically and physiologically to the photoreceptors, so their compromise affects vision loss in many predominant conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, geographic atrophy and retinitis pigmentosa. The software will help researchers characterize and study the progression and pathophysiology of these conditions. It will provide objective measures for practitioners to evaluate these conditions to manage treatment. The most important novelties are: (1) It will have full automation, with no manual operations needed, which is essential for practitioners. (2) A unique set of images and measures are defined for research and practical clinical use. (3) A novel mathematical approach that involves, for the first time, 3D active surface contours and a novel optimization function designed by our group. (4) It will be the first commercial product with this functionality. Easy-to use images and measures are aimed at the dual role of a research tool and a clinical evaluation tool where workflow is important. This commercial aim causes many challenges that will drive further innovations of the algorithms and software. The Phase I project will focus on the first prototype algorithms and approaches to producing images and measurements, in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology. Measurements include those of parameters that could reflect any compromise of the PIL. Feasibility will be defined by showing that these measures show a difference between normal and disease cases. Phase II will involve algorithms and images for studying other layers besides the PIL layer that are connected physiologically and physically to the photoreceptors, including the retinal pigment epithelium and external limiting membrane. The detection and visualization of other layers in the retina and choroid will be a natural fallout of this work, so the end product will have a wealth of functionalty demanded by the customers, besides imaging and measurement of layers relevant to the photoreceptors, although the focus and aim of the Phase I and Phase II work will be associated with the photoreceptors. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research will have a significant and potentially broad impact on reducing blindness and vision loss of Americans. Many predominant eye conditions that cause blindness and vision loss are accompanied by compromised photoreceptors. This research will enable researchers to study the characteristics, causes and future treatments of diseases and conditions that affect photoreceptors. The ensuing software product will produce images of the photoreceptor- integrity layer (PIL), and related nearby layers, which are endogenous markers of the photoreceptors and are linked to many predominant blinding diseases. The software will be sold initially to researchers of the causes and treatments of these diseases and, later, it will be aimed at clinical use, for evaluating conditions to manage treatments. The theme of this project is the study and development of algorithms and software that produce measurements and images from optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal layers associated with the photoreceptors - most notably and initially the photoreceptor-integrity layer (PIL). The software is intended for studying, characterizing and managing treatment of conditions that disturb the photoreceptors. The disturbance of the PIL and these other layers (e.g., retinal pigment epithelium and external limiting membrane), because they are connected physically and physiologically to the photoreceptors (photosensitive elements of the eye), affect vision in common blinding diseases and conditions such as age- related macular degeneration (AMD), geographic atrophy (a condition of AMD), retinitis pigmentosa, macular telangiectasia and others. The software's earliest version will have tools for researchers to characterize and study the progression and physiology of these conditions. A later version will provide objective images and measures for practitioners to evaluate these conditions and manage treatment. The software product will produce easy-to-understand measures specifically aimed at the dual role of a research tool and a clinical evaluation tool where workflow of the clinic is important. A prototype will be produced that leads to a commercial software package that is easy to use by many researchers and practitioners.