Automatization of eye fundus vessel width measurements

Abstract

Many diseases can be early detected from eye fundus images by several different features. One of the features is the artery and vein ratio. Width measurement is made on the main vessels. The aim of this automatization process is to create a fully automated method for eye fundus analysis. The fully automated system consists of blood vessel tree extraction and optic nerve disc detection in order to perform measurements at the standard place. Vessel tree extraction is complicated in some situations, so the vessel measurement algorithm is developed independently of the extracted blood vessel tree, and the tree is used only for direction enhancement and only when it is available. Vessel measurements are compared with manual measurements, performed by an expert. Automated measurements are not different from the expert’s measurements with the confidence level of 95%. For this investigation, the Optomed OY digital mobile eye fundus camera Smartscope M5 PRO was used, but the algorithm can be used on any type of eye fundus images.