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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Quantification of Vascular Parameters in Whole Mount Retinas of Mice with Non-Proliferative and Proliferative Retinopathies
Published on: March 12, 2022
Semi-automated evaluation tool for retinal vasculopathy
X Benavent1, L Martínez-Costa, G Ayala
1Institute of Robotics, University of Valencia, Polígono de la Coma, s/n, Aptdo 2085, 46023 Valencia, Spain.
Insights
This study introduces a new system to help doctors measure vascular changes in eye fundus images. This tool aids in detecting early signs of cardiovascular disease by analyzing blood vessel characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- The ocular fundus offers a unique view of the human vascular system.
- Evidence suggests links between ocular fundus vascular measures and cardiovascular diseases.
- Accurate and repeatable measurement methods are needed to statistically validate these links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a system assisting physicians in measuring vascular characteristics in non-mydriatic ocular fundus images.
- To facilitate the signaling and storage of data related to vascular deterioration and caliber.
- To enable precise and repeatable data acquisition for statistical analysis.
Main Methods:
- Development of a system with a graphical user interface (GUI).
- GUI guides practitioners in marking visible anatomical features.
- Data export in common database formats for further processing.
- Inclusion of a statistical summary.
Main Results:
- The system provides an assisted method for measuring ocular fundus vascular parameters.
- It enables easy and precise identification and storage of vascular data.
- The GUI supports practitioners in marking key features, even without full automation.
Conclusions:
- The developed system aids physicians in assessing ocular vascular health.
- It facilitates the collection of crucial data for understanding the relationship between eye vasculature and cardiovascular health.
- This tool supports the statistical validation of links between ocular fundus vascular measures and cardiovascular diseases.
Abstract:
The ocular fundus is the only area of human body where vascular system is visible using relatively simple instrumentation. Furthermore, there is medical suggestive evidence of a direct relationship between certain measures of vascular characteristics in the ocular fundus (arteriolar and venular calibers and focal arteriolar narrowing) and cardiovascular diseases. In order to establish such relationship on sound statistical basis a method must be provided to measure the needed values in an easy, yet precise and repeatable way. This paper presents a system to assist physicians in signaling and storing the data associated to signs of vascular deterioration and vascular calibers in non-mydriatic ocular fundus images. The system is built around a graphical user interface that, even not fully automatic, guides the practitioner to mark certain anatomic visible features in an easy and precise way. The data are exported in common database formats for further processing and a statistical summary is also presented.
