Retinal Vessel Analysis Synchronizing Image Capture to Vasomotor Waves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the artery-to-vein ratio from retinal vessel images are highly uncertain and lack reproducibility, leading to unreliable individual diagnoses due to random systematic errors and significant scatter in vessel diameter measurements.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that synchronizes image recording with vasomotor waves, using an image sequence control unit to capture images at fixed intervals adapted to the dominant vasomotor wave period, reducing measurement uncertainty by averaging vasomotor amplitude variations and minimizing imaging scale changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If static vessel analysis is used for individual diagnosis, then the procedure is simple, but the reproducibility is poor due to random systematic errors and high scatter in AVR values
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by recording images at fixed time intervals (e.g., 5 seconds) that correspond to the period of vasomotor waves. This periodic sampling captures vessel diameter variations caused by physiological oscillations, allowing multiple measurements to be averaged to eliminate random systematic errors and improve reproducibility of AVR values for individual diagnosis
2Measurement precision
If multiple images are recorded to reduce measurement uncertainty, then the measurement precision improves, but the time required for examination increases
Solution Approach 1:
By recording images at fixed periodic intervals matching the vasomotor wave period, the system obtains multiple measurements within a short total time (e.g., 15-20 seconds for 3-4 images). This periodic sampling strategy achieves measurement precision improvement through averaging while minimizing time loss by optimizing the recording schedule to match physiological cycles
3Device complexity
If images are recorded without synchronization to vasomotor waves, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision is poor due to vasomotor amplitude variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses simple periodic timing control (fixed intervals) rather than complex real-time synchronization to vasomotor waves. This approach maintains low device complexity while achieving good measurement precision by sampling at intervals that capture the periodic nature of vasomotor variations, allowing accurate averaging without requiring complex control mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
The object of an apparatus and a method for the analysis of retinal vessels is to improve the reproducibility of individually determined artery-to-vein ratios and to reduce the measurement uncertainty in determining the artery-to-vein ratio in order to substantially increase the individual validity of the determined values for vessel diagnosis. At least two images are recorded successively as an image sequence in a predetermined timed sequence adapted to the vasomotricity of the vessels and are evaluated such that a mean artery-to-vein ratio is formed from artery-to-vein ratios that are determined on the basis of the at least two images.