title: Automated segmentation of outer retinal layers in macular OCT images of patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: To provide a tool for quantifying the effects of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) seen on spectral domain optical coherence tomography images, an automated layer segmentation algorithm was developed. This algorithm, based on dual-gradient information and a shortest path search strategy, delineates the inner limiting membrane and three outer retinal boundaries in optical coherence tomography images from RP patients. In addition, an automated inner segment (IS)/outer segment (OS) contour detection method based on the segmentation results is proposed to quantify the locus of points at which the OS thickness goes to zero in a 3D volume scan. The segmentation algorithm and the IS/OS contour were validated with manual segmentation data. The segmentation and IS/OS contour results on repeated measures showed good within-day repeatability, while the results on data acquired on average 22.5 months afterward demonstrated a possible means to follow disease progression. In particular, the automatically generated IS/OS contour provided a possible objective structural marker for RP progression.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Yang
authors: Charles A
authors: CA
authors: Reisman
authors: Kinpui
authors: K
authors: Chan
authors: Rithambara
authors: R
authors: Ramachandran
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Raza
authors: Donald C
authors: DC
authors: Hood