title: Ocular fundus reference images from optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Two-dimensional images computed from three-dimensional optical coherence tomography (OCT) data are intrinsically aligned with it, allowing to accurately position a retinal OCT scan within the ocular fundus. In this work, we aim to compute an OCT fundus reference image with improved retinal vasculature extension and contrast over traditional approaches. Based on the shadow casted by hemoglobin on the outer layers of the retina, we compute three independent images from the OCT volumetric data (including the traditional fundus reference image). Combining these images, a fourth one is created that is able to outperform the other three, both quantitatively and qualitatively (as evaluated by retina specialists). The vascular network extension provided by this method was also compared with widely used fundus imaging modalities, showing that it is similar to that achieved with color fundus photography. In this way, the proposed method is an important starting point to the segmentation of the vascular tree and provides users with a detailed fundus reference image.
authors.affiliation: IBILI - Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: pedrogsc@aibili.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: prodrigues@aibili.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: IBILI - Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra University Hospitals, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: clobo@aibili.pt.
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.affiliation: AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra University Hospitals, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: sleal@aibili.pt.
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: IBILI - Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra University Hospitals, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: joaofigueira@oftalmologia.co.pt.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Figueira
authors.affiliation: IBILI - Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; Mathematics Section, Department of Science and Technology, Universidade Aberta, Campus TagusPark, Av. Dr. Jacques Delors, 2740-122 Porto Salvo, Oeiras, Portugal. Electronic address: pedro.serranho@uab.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serranho
authors.affiliation: IBILI - Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; AIBILI - Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: rcb@aibili.pt.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernardes
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Fundus images; Ocular fundus; Optical coherence tomography; Retina; Vascular network