Ophthalmic imaging equipment and ophthalmic imaging programs

Abstract

To attain appropriate comparison even in a case of acquiring OCT data with a scanning pattern different from that in a past inspection.SOLUTION: An ophthalmologic image-capturing apparatus comprises: three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition means which scans a subject eye with measurement light and receives interference light between the measurement light and reference light associated with the measurement light to acquire three-dimensional volume OCT data; inspection information acquisition means which acquires information on OCT data in a past inspection; and data acquisition area setting means which sets an acquisition area of the three-dimensional volume OCT data to be newly acquired by the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition means. In a case where a scanning pattern at the time when the inspection information acquisition means acquires the OCT data in the past inspection is different from a scanning pattern for acquiring the three-dimensional volume OCT data, the data acquisition area setting means sets a data acquisition area including the scanning pattern of the OCT data in the past inspection.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0007] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an ophthalmic imaging device and an ophthalmic imaging program using an optical interference diagnostic imaging method (OCT: Optical Coherence Tomography) that utilizes interference by coherent light.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, an OCT imaging device that acquires tomographic images using interference by coherent light has been put into practical use. Since this OCT imaging device can acquire a three-dimensional OCT image with a resolution on the order of the wavelength of the light incident on the test object, a tomographic image of the test object can be obtained with high resolution.

[0003] An OCT imaging device is particularly useful as an ophthalmic device for obtaining a tomographic image of the retina located at the fundus of the eye. In such an ophthalmic device, in a follow-up examination (longitudinal observation), there may be a case where it is desired to associate and compare past examination data and current examination data. <00(00014> In Patent Document 1, a method for associating first examination data and second examination data using information such as the examined eye information, the imaging date, and the device information is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the method for associating first examination data and second examination data disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is premised that the data is acquired with the same scanning pattern as the past examination, and it is difficult to correctly compare when the data is acquired with a different scanning pattern.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide an ophthalmic imaging device and an ophthalmic imaging program that enable appropriate comparison even when OCT data is acquired using a scanning pattern different from that of previous examinations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first embodiment of the present invention is a 3D volume OCT data acquisition means that scans the eye under examination with a measuring light and receives interference light between the measuring light and a reference light associated with the measuring light to acquire 3D volume OCT data, A means for acquiring examination information to obtain information about OCT data from past examinations, A data acquisition area setting means for setting the data acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data acquired by the 3D volume OCT data acquisition means, A frontal image acquisition means for sequentially acquiring frontal images of the eye under examination, Display control means and An ophthalmic imaging device having, If the scanning pattern included in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examination is a different scanning pattern from the scanning pattern used to acquire the aforementioned 3D volume OCT data, The display control means displays the frontal images of the eye being examined sequentially acquired by the frontal image acquisition means, and superimposes on the sequentially acquired frontal images of the eye being examined a first index indicating the data acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired, and a second index indicating the data acquisition area and scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations. The data acquisition area setting means is This is an ophthalmic imaging device that sets a data acquisition area that includes the data acquisition area contained in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examinations.

[0009] Furthermore, a second embodiment of the present invention includes a 3D volume OCT data acquisition means that scans the eye under examination with a measuring light and receives interference light between the measuring light and a reference light associated with the measuring light to acquire 3D volume OCT data, A means for acquiring examination information to obtain information about OCT data from past examinations, An ophthalmic imaging device having, The aforementioned 3D volume OCT data acquisition means Take Profitable 3D Volume OCT Data dataThe acquisition area is the OCT data from the aforementioned past examination. Data included in the information This is an ophthalmic imaging device that has a determination means for determining whether or not it includes the acquisition area.

[0010] Furthermore, a third embodiment of the present invention is a 3D volume OCT data acquisition means that scans the eye under examination with a measuring light and receives interference light between the measuring light and a reference light associated with the measuring light to acquire 3D volume OCT data, A means for acquiring examination information to obtain information about OCT data from past examinations, The aforementioned 3D volume OCT data acquisition means Take Profitable 3D Volume OCT Data data A data acquisition area setting means for setting the acquisition area, A frontal image acquisition means for sequentially acquiring frontal images of the eye under examination, An ophthalmic imaging device having a display control means, The display control means displays the frontal images of the eye being examined sequentially acquired by the frontal image acquisition means, and also displays the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired on the sequentially acquired frontal images of the eye being examined. data This ophthalmic imaging device superimposes a first indicator showing the acquisition area and a second indicator showing the scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations.

[0011] Furthermore, a fourth embodiment of the present invention involves scanning the eye under examination with a measuring light and receiving interference light between the measuring light and a reference light associated with the measuring light to acquire 3D volume OCT data. Tokusu Step and, A test information acquisition step to obtain information about OCT data from past tests, Acquisition of the aforementioned 3D volume OCT data Step Acquired 3D volume OCT data data The data acquisition area setting step involves setting the acquisition area, of Let the computer execute it. This is an ophthalmic imaging program. before Recording OCT data from previous examination Information included in The scanning pattern is The aforementioned When it is a scanning pattern different from the scanning pattern for acquiring three-dimensional volume OCT data, the data acquisition area setting step, the OCT data of the past examination Data acquisition area included in the information is an ophthalmic imaging program for setting a data acquisition area including the same.

[0012] Further, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is a three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition step of scanning an eye to be examined with measurement light and receiving interference light between the measurement light and reference light associated with the measurement light to acquire three-dimensional volume OCT data, and an examination information acquisition step of acquiring information regarding OCT data of a past examination, and being Let the computer execute it. an ophthalmic imaging program, In the aforementioned 3D volume OCT data acquisition step the data acquisition area of the three-dimensional volume OCT data to be acquired Data included in the information determining whether or not it includes the acquisition area of the OCT data of the past examination to determine is an ophthalmic imaging program having a step of doing so.

[0013] Further, a sixth embodiment of the present invention is a three-dimensional volume OCT data of scanning an eye to be examined with measurement light and receiving interference light between the measurement light and reference light associated with the measurement light to acquire three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition step, an examination information acquisition step of acquiring information regarding OCT data of a past examination, and the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition Step the data acquisition area of the three-dimensional volume OCT data to be acquired a front image acquisition step of sequentially acquiring a front image of the eye to be examined, and Display control step, being Let the computer execute it. an ophthalmic imaging program, In the aforementioned display control step, the Front view image acquisition step andNext, the acquired frontal image of the eye under examination is displayed, and the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired is displayed on the sequentially acquired frontal images of the eye under examination. data This ophthalmic imaging program superimposes a first indicator showing the acquisition area and a second indicator showing the scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to appropriately compare acquired 3D OCT data with OCT data acquired in past examinations. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of an OCT imaging device. (c) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a control unit. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart illustrating the process of Example 1. [Figure 3] (a) A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the front image and the scanning pattern in a past inspection in Example 1. (b) A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the front preview image and the scanning pattern in the current inspection in Example 1. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the screen displayed on the display unit of Example 1. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the process of Example 2. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the process of Example 3. [Figure 7] In Example 3, Modification Example 1, (a) is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the scanning pattern in past inspections and the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area. (b) is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which the newly acquired 3D OCT data acquisition area is set to be larger by a predetermined margin than the scanning pattern in past inspections. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating the process related to Example 3 and Transformation Example 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Exemplary embodiments and examples of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of components used in the following description are arbitrary and can be changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied or various conditions. In addition, the same reference numerals will be used between drawings to indicate elements that are identical or functionally similar.

[0017] <Device configuration> An example of an ophthalmic imaging device according to this embodiment will be described.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1(a), the ophthalmic imaging apparatus of this embodiment comprises an OCT imaging unit 1, a personal computer 102, a display unit 103, and an operation unit 104, with the personal computer 102 being connected to the OCT imaging unit 1. The personal computer 102 also includes a storage unit 101 and a control unit 105.

[0019] The CPU built into the control unit 105 reads a program stored in the storage unit 101, such as a hard disk, to generate an image. It also performs functions such as processing image data acquired from the storage unit 101 and generating a screen to be displayed by the display unit 103, as well as controlling the OCT imaging unit 1, including the control of the stage unit 111.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1(c), the control unit 105 includes a data acquisition unit 1a, an optical system control unit 1b, a front image acquisition unit 1c, a positional displacement amount calculation unit 1d, a data acquisition area setting unit 1e, an image generation unit 1f, a display control unit 1g, and the like. The control unit 105 may also have a determination unit that determines whether or not the scanning pattern of OCT data acquired in past inspections is included in the acquisition area of ​​the newly set 3D volume OCT data (details will be described later in Example 3).

[0021] The OCT imaging unit 1 consists of an optical head 110, which is a measurement optical system for acquiring anterior segment images, frontal images of the fundus, and tomographic images; a stage unit 111 that drives the optical head 110 in the up, down, left, and right directions with a motor or the like; a base unit 112 that houses a spectrometer and the like; and a chin rest 113 that fixes the subject's chin and forehead.

[0022] Next, the optical configuration of the OCT imaging unit 1 will be explained using the schematic diagram in Figure 1(b). The OCT imaging unit 1 includes an imaging optical system 10 and a spectrometer 20.

[0023] The imaging optical system 10 consists of a measurement optical system for capturing frontal and tomographic images of the anterior eye Ea of the eye under examination E and the fundus Er of the same eye. An objective lens 101-1 is positioned opposite the eye under examination E, and the optical paths are separated by a first dichroic mirror 102 and a second dichroic mirror 103, which are positioned posterior to the optical axis, forming an anterior eye observation optical path L1, a fundus observation and fixation target optical path L2, and an OCT optical system measurement optical path L3 for each wavelength band.

[0024] A lens 141 and an image sensor 142 for anterior eye observation, which is sensitive to the wavelength of anterior eye observation illumination light (not shown), specifically around 970 nm, are arranged on the anterior eye observation optical path L1.

[0025] In the fundus observation and fixation lamp light path L2, relay lenses 101-2 are positioned behind them, conjugate to the pupil of the eye under examination, to scan light emitted from an illumination source for fundus observation (not shown) over the fundus Er of the eye under examination E. Further behind these are focus lenses 111 and 112, and a third dichroic mirror 118 separates the light paths to the APD (avalanche photodiode) 115 and fixation lamp 116 for fundus observation, separated by wavelength band. The focus lens 111 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) for adjusting the focus of the fixation lamp and fundus observation, allowing for focusing (focus adjustment) between the aperture and fixation lamp 116 located in front of the APD (avalanche photodiode) 115 for fundus observation and the fundus of the eye under examination. APD115 is a photodetector for detecting light scattered and reflected back from the fundus Er, and is sensitive to the wavelength of an SLO light source (not shown), specifically around 780 nm. Typically, the SLO light source (not shown) and APD115 are arranged in a manner that separates the light beam from the light source and the light reflected from the fundus Er using a perforated mirror or a prism with a hollow mirror (also not shown). Meanwhile, the fixation lamp 116 is used to generate a fixation target that emits visible light to encourage the subject to fixate.

[0026] As mentioned above, the OCT optical system measurement optical path L3 constitutes the OCT optical system and is used to acquire a tomographic image of the fundus Er of the eye under examination. Specifically, it is used to obtain interference signals for forming the tomographic image. Lens 101-3, mirror 121, and X scanner 122-1 and Y scanner 122-2, which function as scanning optical systems to scan light over the fundus Er of the eye under examination E, are arranged on the OCT optical system measurement optical path L3. The X scanner 122-1 and Y scanner 122-2 are positioned so that their vicinity is the focal point of lens 101-3, and furthermore, the vicinity of the center and the position of the pupil of the eye under examination E are optically conjugate. The measurement light source 130 is a low-coherent light source, an SLD (Super Luminescent Diode), for injecting measurement light into the measurement optical path. The central wavelength is 855 nm, and the wavelength bandwidth is approximately 100 nm. Here, the bandwidth is an important parameter because it affects the resolution in the optical axis direction of the obtained tomographic image. Although an SLD was selected as the light source here, any device that emits low-coherent light will suffice, and ASE (Amplified Spontaneous Emission) or similar devices may also be used. Considering that the measurement will involve the eye, near-infrared light is suitable for the central wavelength. Furthermore, since the central wavelength affects the lateral resolution of the resulting tomographic image, it is desirable to use the shortest possible wavelength. 123 and 124 are lenses, and lens 123 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) for focus adjustment.

[0027] Next, the optical path from the measurement light source 130, the reference optical system, and the spectrometer 20 will be described. The Michelson interferometer is composed of the measurement light source 130, the optical coupler 125, optical fibers 125-1 to 125-4, the lens 151, the dispersion compensation glass 152, the reference mirror 153, and the spectrometer 20. The optical fibers 125-1 to 125-4 are single-mode optical fibers connected to and integrated with the optical coupler 125.

[0028] Light emitted from the measurement light source 130 passes through the optical fiber 125-1 and is split via the optical coupler 125 into measurement light on the optical fiber 125-2 side and reference light on the optical fiber 125-3 side. The measurement light passes through the aforementioned OCT optical system measurement optical path L3 and irradiates the fundus Er of the eye E being observed, and through reflection and scattering by the retina, it reaches the optical coupler 125 via the same optical path.

[0029] Meanwhile, the reference light reaches the reference mirror 153 via the optical fiber 125-3, lens 151, and dispersion compensation glass 152, where it is reflected. It then reaches the optical coupler 125 via the same optical path, where the measurement light and the reference light are combined to form interference light. Interference occurs when the optical path lengths of the measurement light and the reference light are approximately the same.

[0030] The reference mirror 153 can be positioned in the optical axis direction by a drive motor and drive mechanism (not shown). The interfering light is guided to the photodetector optical system 20 via optical fiber 125-4.

[0031] The light-receiving optical system 20 includes a lens 201, a diffraction grating 202, a lens 203, and a line sensor 204. Interfering light emitted from the optical fiber 125-4 becomes approximately parallel light after passing through the lens 201, is then spectrally separated by the diffraction grating 202, and is imaged onto the line sensor 204 by the lens 203. The line sensor 204 has a configuration in which multiple pixels, i.e., light-receiving elements, are arranged in a line, and all pixels can be read out simultaneously by a predetermined clock.

[0032] In this embodiment, a Michelson interferometer is used as the interferometer, but a Mach-Zehnder interferometer or the like may also be used.

[0033] <Acquiring a front view image> Next, we will explain how to acquire a frontal image using the OCT imaging unit 1.

[0034] Light emitted from an SLO light source (not shown) is reflected by a third dichroic mirror 118, passes through lenses 112 and 111, and is deflected by the X scanner 117-1 and Y scanner 117-2 to scan the fundus Er of the eye being examined. The deflected light passes through the pupil of the eye being examined by lenses 101-2 and objective lens 101-1 to scan the fundus Er of the eye being examined. The light returned from the fundus Er of the eye being examined travels along the same path as the projected light, is reflected by the dichroic mirror 118, and is received by the APD 115. The control unit 105 generates a frontal image (2D frontal image) of the fundus of the eye being examined by associating this received signal with the scanning positions of the X scanner 117-1 and Y scanner 117-2.

[0035] Meanwhile, the light emitted from the fixation lamp 115 also passes through the third dichroic mirror 118 and similarly through the lenses 112 and 111, and is scanned on the fundus Er of the eye being examined by the X scanner 117-1 and the Y scanner 117-2. At this time, by flashing the fixation lamp 115 in accordance with the movement of the X scanner 117-1 and the Y scanner 117-2, a fixation lamp of any shape can be presented at any position on the fundus Er of the eye being examined.

[0036] In this embodiment, an SLO image is used as the frontal image, but of course, the effects of the present invention will not be impaired if a fundus camera or the like is used to acquire a fundus camera image. When using a fundus camera or the like, the fixation lamp can take the form of a conventional fixation lamp for fundus cameras, and this is a well-known technology to those skilled in the art, so no explanation is provided.

[0037] <Acquisition of tomographic images> Next, we will explain how to acquire tomographic images using the OCT imaging unit 1.

[0038] The control unit 105 controls the X scanner 122-1 and the Y scanner 122-2 to irradiate measurement light to a desired position within the X imaging range in the fundus Er of the eye E under examination. The reflected light is combined with the reference light as described above to become interference light, which is then spectrally analyzed by the spectrometer 230 and imaged by the line sensor 204. The spectral distribution of the interference light acquired by the line sensor 231 is converted into a wavenumber distribution, and then a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed to obtain the intensity distribution in the depth (Z) axis direction in the subject space. Here, the spectral distribution obtained by the line sensor 204 is called one-dimensional OCT data (A scan data), and when this is FFT'd and the resulting intensity distribution is converted into pixel values ​​(BW density or color signal information) for display on a monitor, it is called a one-dimensional OCT image (A scan image). Furthermore, two-dimensional data obtained by arranging multiple one-dimensional OCT data in the main scanning (X) direction is called two-dimensional OCT data (B-scan data), and a two-dimensional image obtained by arranging one-dimensional OCT images is called a two-dimensional OCT image (B-scan image). After acquiring the B-scan data, the scan position is sequentially moved at equal intervals in the sub-scan (Y) direction and a scan is performed again in the X direction (so-called raster scan). The OCT data obtained by arranging multiple two-dimensional OCT data is called three-dimensional volume OCT data, and a three-dimensional image obtained by arranging multiple two-dimensional OCT images is called a three-dimensional OCT image.

[0039] In this embodiment, a point-scanning OCT was used as the method for acquiring 3D volume OCT data, and a raster scan was used as the scanning pattern. However, the imaging method and scanning pattern can be any method that can densely obtain 3D volume OCT data from a 2D area on the fundus. For example, a dense 3D radial scan or Lissajous scan using a point-scanning OCT may be used, or a line-scanning OCT may be used for line scanning imaging, or a full-field OCT may be used for area imaging. Line-field OCT is a method that obtains OCT data by irradiating the subject with measurement light spreading in a line, and receiving signal light obtained by interfering the return light of this measurement light with a line-shaped reference light. 3D volume OCT data is acquired by line scanning the measurement light in a direction intersecting the measurement light on the measurement area. In this case, the OCT imaging unit 1 only needs to be equipped with a scanner in one direction. In full-field OCT, a two-dimensional measurement light is shone onto the subject, and three-dimensional volume OCT data is acquired by receiving a signal light obtained by interfering the reflected light of this measurement light with a two-dimensional reference light. No scanning device is required.

[0040] (Example 1) As preparation before imaging, the examiner uses an unillustrated operating device to roughly align the subject eye E with the OCT imaging unit 1. First, the subject's chin is placed on the chin rest 113, and then the chin rest drive mechanism (unillustrated) is used to adjust the position of the subject eye E in the Y-axis direction to a predetermined height.

[0041] The subsequent operation flow will be explained using Figure 2. In step S101 of Figure 2, the examiner selects a follow-up examination mode from several imaging modes in order to compare with past examinations for observation, for example, by operating the operation unit 104 using an imaging mode selection screen (not shown). In the next step S102, the data acquisition unit 1a in Figure 1(c) functions as an examination information acquisition unit to acquire information about OCT data from past examinations. In this embodiment, the information about OCT data from past examinations includes the OCT data acquired in past examinations, information about the acquisition position of the OCT data acquired in past examinations (including the scanning pattern and its position information on the fundus), and the frontal image at the time the OCT data was acquired in past examinations. Here, as an example of OCT data acquired in past examinations, we will explain using the data acquired with the cross-scan scanning pattern 402 shown in Figure 3(a).

[0042] Once the rough position adjustments described above are complete, the examiner presses a preview start button (not shown) in step S103. Upon detecting that the preview start button has been pressed, the control unit 105 instructs the optical system control unit 1b to start a two-dimensional scan of the eye E being examined using the X scanner 117-1 and Y scanner 117-2 of the imaging optical system 10, and simultaneously initiates the frontal image acquisition unit 1c to sequentially acquire frontal images using the imaging optical system 10, and displays the frontal images on the display unit 103, thus transitioning to a so-called preview state. During this preview, the acquisition of frontal images is repeated and therefore displayed as a moving image. Alternatively, the control unit 105 may instruct the data acquisition unit 1a to acquire fixation target presentation position information, which is the fixation target presentation position relative to the optical axis when OCT data was acquired in a previous examination, and present the fixation target at the same position as in the previous examination based on this information.

[0043] In step S104, the positional displacement calculation unit 1d calculates the positional displacement (ΔX, ΔY) between the frontal image 401 (Figure 3(a)) from when OCT data was acquired in a past examination and the current frontal preview image 403 (Figure 3(b)). The positional displacement can be calculated, for example, by extracting a partial image containing a characteristic area such as the optic disc from the frontal image and performing a matching process on the partial image. In this embodiment, the optic disc was used as a characteristic area, but the intersection of major retinal blood vessels may be used as a characteristic point, or it may be effective to adaptively determine the characteristic area according to the acquired frontal image. Furthermore, instead of matching a partial image containing a characteristic area, a matching process of the entire image may also be used.

[0044] In step S105, the data acquisition area setting unit 1e in Figure 1(c) sets a new 3D volume OCT data acquisition area that includes the scanning pattern on the current frontal preview image, corresponding to the scanning pattern used when acquiring OCT data in past examinations, based on the positional displacement amount calculated in step S104. The "scanning pattern used when acquiring OCT data in past examinations" mentioned here refers to the range in which data was actually acquired on the scanning trajectory when acquiring OCT data in past examinations; in other words, it can also be called the acquisition position or OCT data acquisition area of ​​the OCT data in past examinations. Furthermore, the acquisition area for the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is a 2D area on the fundus (on the plane intersecting the optical axis of the measurement light), and it goes without saying that the word "includes" here means "includes all" and not "includes only a part of the scanning pattern on the fundus in past examinations." Also, the "3D OCT data" in S105 and S106 shown in Figure 2 refers to 3D volume OCT data.

[0045] To describe the above operation in more detail, it is as follows: In this embodiment, since the acquisition of newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is performed by raster scanning, the first index 404 indicating the acquisition area of ​​3D volume OCT data is a rectangle (Figure 3(b)). Therefore, the data acquisition area setting unit 1e obtains the maximum and minimum horizontal coordinates Xmax, Xmin and the maximum and minimum vertical coordinates Ymax, Ymin from the coordinates of the trajectory of the scanning pattern on the fundus when OCT data was acquired in a previous examination, and sets a rectangle with vertices C1(Xmin+ΔX, Ymax+ΔY), C2(Xmax+ΔX, Ymax+ΔY), C3(Xmax+ΔX, Ymin+ΔY), and C4(Xmin+ΔXYmin+ΔY) as the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D OCT data. If the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is to be acquired using a dense 3D radial scan, the circumscribed circle can be set as the acquisition area. Of course, the acquisition area for the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data can be determined by considering eye movements, calculating the reference area for the newly acquired OCT data acquisition area from the frontal image used when OCT data was acquired in a previous examination and the current frontal preview image, and then setting a wider area as the data acquisition area by adding a predetermined margin width to this reference area, taking eye movements into consideration. Alternatively, if 3D volume OCT data is acquired by raster scanning as in this embodiment, this margin width can be adjusted separately for the top, bottom, left, and right to match a predetermined aspect ratio that is convenient for display. Furthermore, it would be useful to allow the examiner to manually fine-tune the area while referring to the frontal preview image after the data acquisition area setting unit 1e has automatically set the area.

[0046] When setting the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data in step S105, the display control unit 1g can also superimpose a first indicator 404 indicating the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data and a second indicator 402' indicating the scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations acquired in step S102 onto the current frontal preview image 403 displayed in the display area 502, as shown in the example of the operation screen in Figure 4. This allows the examiner to be explicitly informed of the relationship between the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data and the scanning pattern at the time of OCT data acquisition in past examinations (for example, whether the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data encompasses, partially includes, or does not include the scanning pattern at the time of OCT data acquisition in past examinations). Furthermore, by performing fundus tracking that calculates the positional displacement between a reference frontal image and the current frontal preview image and corrects the scanning position, it is possible to continue acquiring data in the newly set 3D OCT data acquisition area. In this case, the first index 404, which indicates the acquisition area of ​​each 3D volume OCT data, and the second index 402', which indicates the scanning pattern of OCT data in past examinations, will be displayed to move in accordance with the eye movements of the eye being examined, similar to the current frontal image displayed on the display unit 103. When performing fundus tracking in this manner, the predetermined margin width to be added, taking into account the aforementioned eye movements, may be adaptively calculated for each eye being examined based on the tracking error. The "frontal preview image" described above refers to the latest frontal image among the frontal images acquired sequentially and displayed as a moving image.

[0047] In step S106, in accordance with the examiner's instruction to start data acquisition, the optical system control unit 1b raster scans the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area set in step S105 using the X scanner 122-1 and the Y scanner 122-2, and acquires new 3D volume OCT data. At the same time, the frontal preview image of the fundus displayed on the display unit 103 is acquired and saved as a frontal image for storage.

[0048] In step S107, the image generation unit 1f generates a tomographic image (B-scan image) at a position corresponding to the scanning pattern (scanning pattern indicated by the second index 402) acquired in step S102 when acquiring OCT data from a past examination, from the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data. Specifically, a 3D volume OCT image is first obtained by performing an FFT on all the A-scan data constituting the acquired 3D volume OCT data to generate an A-scan image. After performing 2D alignment on the frontal image plane using the newly acquired 3D volume OCT image and the frontal image saved simultaneously when acquiring the OCT data from the past examination, the scanning pattern (B-scan image acquisition line in this embodiment) acquired when acquiring OCT data from the past examination is set in the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data as a readout pattern for generating a new tomographic image (B-scan image in this embodiment). Finally, an A-scan image aligned with the set readout pattern is extracted from the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data. After arranging each scan interval at the actual coordinate distance, the A-scan image is stretched (interpolated) and compressed (weighted averaged) as needed to generate a tomographic image (B-scan image) at the same position as the scanning pattern (B-scan image acquisition line) used when acquiring OCT data for past examinations.

[0049] In step S108, the display control unit 1g displays the tomographic image (first B-scan image) generated by the image generation unit 1f in step S107 and the tomographic image (second B-scan image) obtained in a previous examination side by side on the display unit 103. This allows for comparison of tomographic images (B-scan images) of the same position in the fundus of the eye being examined, even if the scanning pattern of the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is different from the scanning pattern used when acquiring OCT data in a previous examination. This improves diagnostic efficiency during follow-up observation.

[0050] (Example 2) In Example 1, the positional displacement between the frontal image at the time of OCT data acquisition for past examinations and the current frontal preview image was calculated to set the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data. In this example, the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is set using the fixation target presentation position information and measurement light irradiation area position information from past examinations, and the current fixation target presentation position information. The pre-imaging preparation is the same as in Example 1, so the explanation is omitted, and each flow will be explained with reference to Figure 5.

[0051] In step S201, as in step S101 of Example 1, the follow-up examination mode, which is one of the imaging modes, is selected.

[0052] In step S202, the data acquisition unit 1a in Figure 1(c) functions as an inspection information acquisition unit and acquires information regarding OCT data from past inspections. In this embodiment, the information regarding OCT data from past inspections includes the OCT data acquired in past inspections, the fixation target presentation position information (relative to the optical axis) at the time the OCT data from past inspections was acquired, the irradiation position information of the measurement light, and the front image. As in Embodiment 1, the OCT data acquired in past inspections is the OCT data acquired from the scanning trajectory of the cross scan.

[0053] In step S203, similar to step S103, a frontal preview image is acquired and displayed, and a fixation target is presented.

[0054] In step S204, the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area is calculated from the fixation target presentation position information (relative to the optical axis) and the position information of the measurement light irradiation area obtained in step S202, along with the current fixation target presentation position information. Specifically, the relative positional relationship between the measurement light irradiation area and the fixation target presentation position is obtained from the position information of the measurement light irradiation area (relative to the optical axis) and the fixation target presentation position information in past examinations. This is then used as the reference area for the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area based on the current fixation target presentation position and this relative positional relationship. Furthermore, a wider area is set as the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area by adding a predetermined margin width to this reference area, taking into account eye movement. In Example 2, since alignment using a frontal image is omitted, it is desirable to make the above-mentioned predetermined margin width wider than in Example 1.

[0055] The operation flow from step S205 onward is almost the same as in Example 1. In step S206, new 3D volume OCT data is acquired in the same manner as in step S106, based on the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area set in step S205.

[0056] In step S207, the data acquisition area setting unit 1e sets a position corresponding to the scanning pattern of the OCT data acquired in the previous examination for the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data, based on the frontal image acquired during the acquisition of OCT data in the past examination and information regarding the position of the acquisition area of ​​the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data and the frontal image. The image generation unit 1f then generates a tomographic image (B-scan image) of that position.

[0057] In step S208, the display control unit 1g displays the tomographic image (B-scan image) generated from the OCT data acquired in step S202 and the tomographic image (B-scan image) generated in step S207 side by side on the display unit 103.

[0058] (Example 3) In Examples 1 and 2, an ophthalmic imaging device was described that actively sets a new acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data to include the scanning pattern of OCT data acquired in past examinations. However, this embodiment is an example of an ophthalmic imaging device that has a determination unit that determines whether or not the scanning pattern of OCT data acquired in past examinations is included in the newly set acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data. The device configuration is the same as in Example 1, so the explanation will be omitted, and the operation flow of this embodiment will be explained using Figure 6. The determination unit of this embodiment may be applied as a monitoring means when the newly set acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data is manually changed in the follow-up examination mode, which is the scanning mode selected in Examples 1 and 2, or it may be set to constantly monitor a comparison between the scanning pattern from the previous examination and the currently set acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data in other examination modes. Therefore, the imaging mode selection process steps S101 and S201 in Examples 1 and 2 are unnecessary in this embodiment.

[0059] The subsequent steps S302 to S305 are similar in content to steps S102 to S105 in Example 1, although the order is slightly different. Specifically, in step S302, the OCT data and scanning pattern information of the OCT data from the previous examination are acquired, and then in the next step S305, the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data, which is determined by initial values, is read and the data acquisition area is set. Of course, the examiner may also manually set the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data from the operation screen using a GUI (not shown in the figure). However, it should be noted that this data acquisition area setting is determined not with respect to the frontal image, but by relative coordinates with respect to the optical axis of the device, and does not follow the movement of the fundus of the eye being examined.

[0060] Subsequently, after acquiring a frontal preview image in step S303, in step S304, the positional displacement calculation unit calculates the positional displacement between the frontal image obtained when OCT data was acquired in a previous examination and the current frontal preview image. Using this positional displacement, the scanning pattern information of the previous OCT data read in step S302 is converted, for example, into relative coordinates with respect to the optical axis of the device. Therefore, these relative coordinates change in accordance with the movement of the fundus of the eye being examined in the frontal preview image acquired in S303. In this embodiment, although the positional displacement is calculated, there is no fundus tracking function that uses this calculation.

[0061] In the next step S306-1, a determination unit (not shown) of the control unit 105 determines whether the acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data newly set in step 305 (for example, defined by relative coordinates with respect to the optical axis of the device) encompasses the scanning pattern of the OCT data acquired in past inspections (which has been converted to relative position with respect to the optical axis of the device in step 303). This determination is in two stages: "NG" if the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area newly set in S305 (the data acquisition area indicated by the first index 404) does not include all of the positions in the scanning pattern of the OCT data from past inspections (the scanning pattern of positions indicated by the second index 402') (i.e., it includes only some positions or does not include any positions); and "OK" if the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area newly set in step S305 includes all of the scanning pattern of the OCT data from past inspections. If the determination is "OK" at this point, the system will not issue any warnings and will proceed to step S306-3 to check for any changes in the acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data while waiting for the examiner to instruct the system to start acquiring the 3D volume OCT data (step S406-4). If the determination is "NG", the system will proceed to step S306-2, the process for changing the display format.

[0062] In step S306-2, the process of changing the display format, the display format is changed, for example, by changing the color of the first indicator 404 or by making it blink, to warn that in the newly set data acquisition area, it is not possible to generate a tomographic image at the readout line that was previously acquired and displayed, or there is a risk that it will not be possible. In this embodiment, for example, if it is determined to be "NG", the display format is changed to display the first indicator in red. Then, in step S306-3, while checking whether the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data has been changed, in step S306-4, the system waits for the examiner to give an instruction to start acquiring 3D volume OCT data. If it becomes possible to acquire a new frontal preview image during this time, the system returns to S303 to acquire the frontal preview image and repeats the subsequent steps. Of course, this warning may be given by other methods, such as display on the display unit 103 (including changing the display format), audio display, buzzer sound, or lamp illumination, and it may also be possible to switch whether the judgment unit makes an automatic judgment before the start of the preview in step S303.

[0063] If it is determined in step S306-3 that there is a change in the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data, the process returns to step 305 to set the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data. If there is no change in the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data and the examiner instructs to acquire the data, the process proceeds to step S307, where 3D volume OCT data is acquired based on the area set in step S305 in the same manner as in step S106 of Example 1. Subsequently, in steps S308 and S309, tomographic images are generated and displayed in the same manner as in steps S107 and S108 of Example 1, respectively.

[0064] The operation of this embodiment described above will now be explained in detail. First, as shown in Figure 7(a), if the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area (the area indicated by the first index 404) deviates significantly from, or is clearly smaller than, the scanning pattern in previous examinations (the scanning pattern indicated by the second index 402'), the judgment in step S306-1 will always be "NG", and the first index 404 will always be displayed in red. The examiner will then understand that if they perform the current examination, they will not be able to generate a tomographic image at the same position as the tomographic image that was observable in the previous examination. To correct this, they will either reset the newly acquired 3D volume OCT data acquisition area, or, for example, if the purpose of the current examination is different from the previous one, and it is not a problem if a tomographic image at the same position as the tomographic image that was observable in the previous examination cannot be generated, they will operate an operation button (not shown) or the like to issue an instruction to acquire OCT data as is.

[0065] Next, consider the case where, as in a follow-up examination, it is desired to reconstruct a tomographic image at the same position as the tomographic image observed in a previous examination. For example, as shown in Figure 7(b), the newly acquired 3D OCT data acquisition area is set to be approximately the same position as the scanning pattern in the previous examination, but larger by a predetermined margin d due to eye movement. The degree of eye movement in the examined eye varies from person to person, even in healthy individuals, and varies even more in diseased eyes. In an examined eye with stable fixation, the calculated positional displacement is always less than or equal to the predetermined margin d, so the judgment in step S306-1 is always OK, and the display format of the first indicator 404 (Figure 7) of the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area set in step S305 is not changed. The examiner confirms the display and instructs the start of 3D volume OCT data acquisition in step S306-3. In this case, it is possible to reliably obtain 3D volume OCT data that can reconstruct the tomographic image observed in the previous examination.

[0066] On the other hand, when examining an eye with somewhat poor fixation, the judgment in step S306-1 will repeatedly transition from OK to NG, and the first indicator 404 of the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data will occasionally change shape to red. By observing the frequency of this red flashing, the examiner can determine the degree of risk that a tomographic image at the same position as the previously observed tomographic image cannot be acquired. If the risk is judged to be sufficiently low, the examiner may instruct the start of data acquisition, or to mitigate the risk, the examiner may try to relax the subject and stabilize their fixation as a precaution. However, in the case of an eye with even worse fixation, the judgment will almost always remain in the NG state. In such cases, since there is no guarantee that 3D OCT data will be obtained that can reconstruct the previously observed tomographic image, the examiner will take measures such as changing the predetermined margin width d to a larger one.

[0067] As explained above, the apparatus of Example 3 allows for prior confirmation that a tomographic image can be generated at the same location as the previously observable tomographic image, regardless of the shooting mode and the scanning pattern used in previous inspections. This reduces errors in setting the acquisition area, allowing the examiner to perform the next inspection with confidence.

[0068] Furthermore, 3D volume OCT data may also be 3D volume OCT motion contrast data. In that case, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is used to repeatedly scan the same area and extract components that change within a small time interval (differences, changes in signal intensity, etc.) between the multiple tomographic images acquired, so-called motion contrast. This motion contrast is a small signal for static structures, but a large signal for dynamic structures such as blood flow within blood vessels. Therefore, by extracting and imaging this, it is possible to observe the retinochoroidal vessels in three dimensions.

[0069] (Example of transformation 1) Next, as an example of a modification of Example 3, we will explain, using the operation flowchart in Figure 8, an example in which a function to determine whether the newly set acquisition area of ​​3D volume OCT data encompasses the scanning pattern of OCT data acquired in past examinations is applied to the device of Example 1 with a fundus tracking function.

[0070] In the apparatus of this modified example, steps S401 to S405 are the same as steps S101 to S105 of Example 1. In step S404, the amount of positional displacement is calculated using the frontal preview image acquired in step S403. In step S405, the data acquisition area setting unit 1e sets an acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data (the area indicated by the first index 404) that includes the scanning position on the current frontal preview image 403 corresponding to the scanning pattern on the fundus when OCT data was acquired in a past examination, and the scanning pattern of the past examination (the position indicated by the second index 402'), based on the amount of positional displacement. Here, the acquisition area for newly acquired 3D volume OCT data is an area to which a predetermined margin width d (see Figure 7(b)) has been added to the calculated reference area, taking into account eye movement. Furthermore, the display control unit 1g, similar to Example 1, displays a first index 404 indicating the acquisition area for 3D volume OCT data shown in Figure 4 and a second index 402′ indicating the scanning pattern of OCT data in past examinations, superimposed on the current frontal image 403. In addition, since the device in this modified example performs fundus tracking, in the preview state, the acquisition of the frontal preview image in step S403 is repeated until the start of 3D OCT data acquisition is determined in S406-3. The first index 404 and the second index 402′ move in real time along with the current frontal image 403, following the eye movement of the eye being examined. The determination step S406-1 for the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area, which is performed after the setting of the 3D volume OCT data acquisition area in step S405, and is similar to Example 3, is also configured to be repeated in conjunction with the acquisition of the frontal preview image in S403.

[0071] In step S306-1, similar to Example 3, the determination unit (not shown) of the control unit 105 determines whether the acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data newly set in step 305 includes the scanning pattern of the OCT data acquired in previous inspections. However, there are differences in the determination method, which will be explained below.

[0072] As previously explained, in step S405, a predetermined margin width d (see Figure 7(b)) is added as the acquisition area for new 3D volume OCT data (the area indicated by the first index 404). Here, if there is no instruction to acquire 3D volume OCT data in step S406-4, and the system returns to step S403 to acquire a new frontal preview image, the occurrence of positional shifts ΔX and ΔY calculated in step 404 (of course, these positional shifts are used to maintain the scanning position as fundus tracking) in that image indicates that the scanning position on the fundus of the examined eye performed within the loop from step 403 to step S406-4 has shifted by at least ΔX and ΔY. Therefore, in this case of modification, a two-stage determination was adopted for the acquisition area of ​​3D OCT data: "NG" if ΔX ≥ 0.8xd or ΔY ≥ 0.8xd, and "OK" if ΔX < 0.8xd and ΔY ≥ 0.8xd. 0.8 is a safety factor and is a value determined empirically. If the determination is "OK" at this point, the system will proceed to step S406-2, the display format change step, without issuing any warnings, while checking for any changes in the 3D OCT data acquisition area in step S306-3, and waiting for the examiner to start acquiring the 3D OCT data (step S406-4). If the determination is "NG", the system will proceed to step S406-2, the display format change step, as in Example 3.

[0073] Furthermore, if the examiner instructs to acquire data, the process proceeds to step S307, where 3D volume OCT data is acquired based on the region set in step S305 in the same manner as in step S106 of Example 1. Subsequently, in steps S308 and S309, tomographic images are generated and displayed in the same manner as in steps S107 and S108 of Example 1.

[0074] The operation of this embodiment is almost the same as that of Embodiment 3, as described above. That is, in the case of an eye with stable fixation, the calculated positional displacement amounts ΔX and ΔY are always less than or equal to a predetermined margin d, so the judgment in step S406-1 is always OK, and the display form of the first index 404 (Figure 7) indicating the data acquisition area set in step S405 is not changed. On the other hand, when examining an eye with somewhat poor fixation, the judgment in step S406-1 alternates between OK and NG, and in the case of an eye with poor fixation, it remains almost always in the NG state.

[0075] The present invention has been described above using an ophthalmic device to which the present invention is applied as an example. However, the present invention can also be realized by supplying an ophthalmic imaging program that realizes one or more of the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by the computer of that system or device reading and executing the program. The computer has one or more processors or circuits and may include a plurality of separate computers or a network of a plurality of separate processors or circuits for the computer to read and execute executable instructions. The processor or circuit may include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gateway (FPGA). The processor or circuit may also include a digital signal processor (DSP), a dataflow processor (DFP), or a neural processing unit (NPU). Furthermore, it can also be realized by a circuit that realizes one or more functions (for example, an ASIC). [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1. OCT Imaging Department 10. Imaging optical system 20 spectrometer 101 Storage section 012 Personal Computer 103 Display section 104 Operation section 105 Control Unit 110 Optical Heads 111 Stage Section 112 Base section 401 Frontal image obtained when OCT data was acquired in a previous examination. 402, 402' A second indicator showing the scanning pattern when acquiring OCT data from past examinations. 403 Current front view preview image 404 The first indicator showing the acquisition area of ​​newly acquired 3D volume OCT data. 502 Display area 1a Data acquisition unit 1b Optical System Control Unit 1c Front image acquisition section 1d Positional displacement calculation unit 1e Data acquisition area setting unit 1f Image generation unit 1g Display Control Unit

Claims

1. A 3D volume OCT data acquisition means that scans the eye under examination with a measurement light, receives interference light between the measurement light and a reference light associated with the measurement light, and acquires 3D volume OCT data. A means for acquiring examination information to obtain information about OCT data from past examinations, A data acquisition area setting means for setting the data acquisition area of ​​the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquired by the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition means, A frontal image acquisition means for sequentially acquiring frontal images of the eye under examination, Display control means and An ophthalmic imaging device having, If the scanning pattern included in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examination is a different scanning pattern from the scanning pattern used to acquire the three-dimensional volume OCT data, The display control means displays the frontal images of the eye being examined sequentially acquired by the frontal image acquisition means, and superimposes on the sequentially acquired frontal images of the eye being examined a first index indicating the data acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired, and a second index indicating the data acquisition area and scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations. The data acquisition area setting means is An ophthalmic imaging device characterized by setting a data acquisition region that includes a data acquisition region contained in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examination.

2. The data acquisition area setting means is Based on the fixation target presentation position information and measurement light irradiation position information acquired by the inspection information acquisition means when OCT data was acquired in the previous inspection, and the current fixation target presentation position information, the data acquisition area is set. The ophthalmic imaging device according to feature 1.

3. The aforementioned ophthalmic imaging device, moreover, A frontal image acquisition means for sequentially acquiring frontal images of the eye under examination, The inspection information acquisition means has a positional displacement calculation means that calculates the positional displacement between the frontal image acquired by the inspection information acquisition means when OCT data was acquired in the past inspection and the frontal image acquired by the frontal image acquisition means, The data acquisition area setting means is The data acquisition area is set based on the calculated positional displacement. The ophthalmic imaging device according to feature 1.

4. The first indicator is composed of a plurality of line segments, The second indicator is composed of multiple line segments, The ophthalmic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the combination of line segments constituting the first indicator is different from the combination of line segments constituting the second indicator.

5. The ophthalmic imaging device further includes an image generation means and a display control means, The image generation means is From the acquired 3D volume OCT data, a tomographic image corresponding to the tomographic image contained in the OCT data of the past examination is generated based on the scanning pattern of the OCT data of the past examination. The display control means displays the generated tomographic image. An ophthalmic imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The aforementioned inspection information acquisition means acquires tomographic images obtained according to the scanning pattern of OCT data from past inspections, The ophthalmic imaging apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the display control means displays side by side a tomographic image corresponding to the tomographic image contained in the OCT data of the past examination that was generated, and a tomographic image acquired according to the scanning pattern of the OCT data of the past examination.

7. The ophthalmic imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the OCT data is OCT motion contrast data.

8. A 3D volume OCT data acquisition means that scans the eye under examination with a measurement light, receives interference light between the measurement light and a reference light associated with the measurement light, and acquires 3D volume OCT data. A means for acquiring examination information to obtain information about OCT data from past examinations, A data acquisition area setting means for setting the data acquisition area of ​​the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquired by the three-dimensional volume OCT data acquisition means, A frontal image acquisition means for sequentially acquiring frontal images of the eye under examination, An ophthalmic imaging device having a display control means, An ophthalmic imaging apparatus characterized in that the display control means displays a frontal image of the eye under examination sequentially acquired by the frontal image acquisition means, and superimposes on the sequentially acquired frontal image of the eye under examination a first index indicating the data acquisition area of ​​the three-dimensional volume OCT data to be acquired, and a second index indicating the scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations.

9. A 3D volume OCT data acquisition step involves scanning the eye under examination with a measurement light, receiving interference light between the measurement light and a reference light associated with the measurement light, and acquiring 3D volume OCT data. A test information acquisition step to obtain information about OCT data from past tests, A data acquisition area setting step for setting the data acquisition area for the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired in the 3D volume OCT data acquisition step, A frontal image acquisition step in which a frontal image of the eye under examination is successively acquired, Display control step, An ophthalmic imaging program that causes a computer to execute, If the scanning pattern included in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examination is a different scanning pattern from the scanning pattern used to acquire the three-dimensional volume OCT data, The display control step is a step in which the frontal images of the eye under examination acquired sequentially in the frontal image acquisition step are displayed, and a first index indicating the data acquisition area of ​​the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired, and a second index indicating the data acquisition area and scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations are superimposed on the frontal images of the eye under examination acquired sequentially. The data acquisition area setting step is, An ophthalmic imaging program characterized by a step of setting a data acquisition region that includes a data acquisition region contained in the information regarding the OCT data of the aforementioned past examination.

10. A 3D volume OCT data acquisition step involves scanning the eye under examination with a measurement light, receiving interference light between the measurement light and a reference light associated with the measurement light, and acquiring 3D volume OCT data. A test information acquisition step to obtain information about OCT data from past tests, A data acquisition area setting step for setting the data acquisition area for the 3D volume OCT data to be acquired in the 3D volume OCT data acquisition step, A frontal image acquisition step in which a frontal image of the eye under examination is successively acquired, Display control step, An ophthalmic imaging program that causes a computer to execute, An ophthalmic imaging program characterized in that, in the display control step, the frontal images of the eye under examination acquired sequentially in the frontal image acquisition step are displayed, and a first index indicating the data acquisition area of ​​the three-dimensional volume OCT data to be acquired and a second index indicating the scanning pattern of OCT data from past examinations are superimposed on the frontal images of the eye under examination acquired sequentially.

Images