Choroidal Vessel Size Measurement via Vortex Vein Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies lack effective methods for analyzing choroidal vessels, particularly at the vortex vein periphery, which is crucial for comprehensive eye health assessment.

Innovation Solution

An image processing method and device that acquire choroidal vascular images, detect vortex vein positions, and identify and determine the size of choroidal vessels related to these positions, utilizing a processor and a program to execute these steps, enabling detailed analysis of choroidal vessel structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional image processing methods are used, then general choroidal vessel analysis is possible, but analysis of vortex vein periphery choroidal vessels is ineffective

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechoroidal vessel size measurement precisionVSAvoidvortex vein periphery vessel detection difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The method segments the choroidal vascular image into multiple regions based on vortex vein positions. By dividing the image into areas around each vortex vein and measuring choroidal vessel sizes separately in each segment, the system achieves precise local measurements that would be impossible in conventional whole-image analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses vortex vein positions as intermediary reference points to identify and measure choroidal vessels. By detecting vortex vein locations first and using these as anchors to identify surrounding choroidal vessels, the system transforms the difficult task of directly measuring peripheral vessels into a more manageable process of measuring vessels relative to known reference points.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If detailed analysis of vortex vein periphery is performed, then comprehensive eye health assessment is achieved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeye health assessment reliabilityVSAvoidimage processing device complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of vortex vein positions before proceeding to choroidal vessel identification and measurement. By first establishing the reference framework of vortex vein locations and preparing the image data in advance, the system simplifies subsequent processing steps while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The developed system serves multiple functions within a unified framework: it detects vortex veins, identifies surrounding choroidal vessels, measures vessel sizes, and provides health assessment. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating what would otherwise require separate specialized systems into one integrated platform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20230237684A1Image processing method, image processing device, and program

Publication Date: 2023.07.27 NIKON CORP

AI summary

An image processing method performed by a processor and including: a step of acquiring a choroidal vascular image; a step of detecting a vortex vein position from the choroidal vascular image; a step of identifying a choroidal vessel related to the vortex vein position; and a step of finding a size of the choroidal vessel.