Measurement of optic disc parameters on digital fundus photographs: algorithm development and evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and evaluate a simple and rapid algorithm for optic disc measurements on digital fundus photographs, relying on the macula-disc centre distance as a reference when converting length expressed in pixels to metric distance.


METHODS
Measurements were performed on fundus photographs from 68 normal subjects, acquired using five different cameras. The magnification factor and actual size in mum of 1 pixel was known for only one camera. The measurements from this camera were compared to corresponding measurements from a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope.


RESULTS
Using the described algorithm, no significant differences in mean disc or cup size were observed between the tested cameras, despite differences in magnification factor (range 0.5-2.5). There were no significant differences between disc and cup measurements obtained with the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope and those obtained with the described algorithm in the 20 subjects examined.


CONCLUSIONS
The algorithm described in the current study provided clinically relevant measurements of optic disc parameters. The final program can be used directly on the acquired images, with the examined subject still available for re-examination.
Bartling
Herman
H
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Vision, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Wanger
Peter
P
Martin
Lene
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010781:Photography; D055815:Young Adult