Low-Cost Device for Digital Retinal Imaging

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的目标是提供一种低成本的数字视网膜成像设备，即激光扫描数码相机，作为糖尿病视网膜病变筛查的组成部分。这种设备将是非常便宜的，并提供图像的对比度至少与目前临床使用的那些一样高。它最终将提供数码相机的易用性，最大限度地减少目前的培训问题。这项新技术将为基础研究人员和临床医生提供一种期待已久的工具，以廉价和敏感的方式早期检测糖尿病视网膜病变。不像最近的设备在现场超过30%的故障率，我们预计使用与每一个病人没有严重的角膜问题或严重的白内障。激光扫描数码相机使用我们独特的狭缝扫描照明混合系统，并通过带电子孔径的二维阵列进行检测，主要使用低成本的现成组件。我们使用新展示的电子光圈进行共焦成像，该电子光圈减少了来自平面外结构的散射光，从而提高了图像对比度。我们将测试电子光圈的灵活性，以提供散射光，即暗场，成像，以及图像平均和图像锐化。由于小的入射/出射分裂光瞳系统和近红外光，相机在未放大的瞳孔下工作。所有临床上重要的视网膜血管变化和黄斑水肿现在都已经被我们用高端设备可视化，包括微动脉瘤和深色素眼的特征。立体成像最近被证明是不必要的检测黄斑水肿，因此，我们将提供高对比度的图像，以获得线索，判断黄斑水肿。我们将从高端设备实现我们的技术：散射光成像。目标1是完成激光扫描数码相机的开发，包括电子光圈提供的新成像模式。目标2将开始实地工作，在正常受试者中进行再现性研究和眼睛色素沉着比较，并在中度非增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变患者中进行初步试验。我们将使用电子配置来优化光学共焦孔径宽度。目的3研究共焦近红外成像技术，包括实时变化的光圈，图像锐化，和散射光成像，适用于人口与全方位的视网膜变化发现糖尿病患者。我们预期增强对水肿性病变（例如囊样黄斑水肿）的检测能力。目标4是实现静止共焦扫描激光成像，但仍然保留聚焦所需的可动部分，并将此方法与目标3中使用的方法进行比较。我们还将包括一个眼前节成像组件，这是非常便宜的，因为糖尿病患者与黑暗的眼睛可以有新的血管生长在虹膜，导致痛苦和视力威胁青光眼。这也将记录眼睛颜色，并通过提供瞳孔直径来提供质量控制帮助。虽然该项目的重点是人类糖尿病视网膜病变，但未来的应用包括人类和动物模型中的其他视网膜疾病。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this research is to provide a low cost device for digital retinal imaging, the Laser Scanning Digital Camera, as an integral part of screening for diabetic retinopathy. This device will be unusually inexpensive and provide images with contrasts at least as high as those now used clinically. It will eventually provide the ease of use of a digital camera, minimizing current problems with training. This new technique will provide a long-awaited tool to basic researchers and clinicians alike for detecting diabetic retinopathy early, in an inexpensive and sensitive manner. Unlike recent devices with more than 30 % failure rate in the field, we anticipate use with every patient without severe corneal problems or severe cataracts. The Laser Scanning Digital Camera uses our unique hybrid system of slit-scanning the illumination, and detection by a 2- dimensional array with electronic aperture, using primarily low cost, off-the shelf components. We perform confocal imaging using a newly-demonstrated electronic aperture, which reduces scattered light from out-of-plane structures and thereby improves image contrast. We will test the flexibility of the electronic aperture to provide scattered light, i.e. dark field, imaging, as well as image averaging and image sharpening. The camera works with an undilated pupil, due to the small entrance/exit split pupil system and near infra-red light. All clinically important retinal vascular changes and macular edema have now been visualized by us with higher end devices, including microaneurysms and features in darkly pigmented eyes. Stereo imaging was recently shown to be unnecessary for detecting macular edema, and therefore we will provide high contrast images to obtain cues for judging macular edema. We will implement our technique from high end devices: scattered light imaging. Aim 1 is to complete the development of the Laser Scanning Digital Camera, including new imaging modes provided by the electronic aperture. Aim 2 will begin field work, with reproducibility studies and eye pigmentation comparisons in normal subjects and initial tests in patients with moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. We will use the electronic configuration to optimize the optical confocal aperture width. Aim 3 investigates confocal near infra-red imaging techniques, including real-time variation of aperture, image sharpening, and scattered light imaging, as applied to a population with the full range of retinal changes found in patients with diabetes. We anticipate enhanced detection capability for edematous lesions, e.g. cystoid macular edema. Aim 4 is to achieve motionless confocal scanning laser imaging, but still retain the movable part needed for focus, and compare this method to that used in Aim 3. We will also include an anterior segment imaging component, which is extremely inexpensive, as diabetic patients with dark eyes can have new vessel growth in the iris that leads to painful and sight-threatening glaucoma. This will also document eye color and provide help with quality control by giving the pupil diameter. While this project focuses on diabetic retinopathy in humans, future applications include other retinal disorders in both humans and animal models.