Bayer Filter Snapshot Hyperspectral Fundus Camera for Human Retinal Imaging.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Optics

Background:

• Accurate in vivo measurements of retinal oxygen saturation and macular pigment optical density are crucial for diagnosing and monitoring various eye conditions.
• Existing imaging techniques may have limitations in terms of speed, resolution, or multifunctionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the versatility and performance of a compact Bayer filter snapshot hyperspectral fundus camera.
• To evaluate its capability for in vivo retinal oximetry and macular pigment optical density measurements.

Main Methods:

• A custom hyperspectral camera with a spectral range of 460-630 nm was used to capture fundus images from 12 healthy volunteers.
• Retinal vascular oxygen saturation (sO2) was determined using least squares curve fitting.
• Macular pigment optical density was localized and visualized using multispectral reflectometry.

Main Results:

• The mean arterial sO2 was 90.9% ± 2.5% and mean venous sO2 was 64.5% ± 3.5%, with excellent intrasubject repeatability.
• The mean artery-vein difference in sO2 ranged from 20.5% to 31.9%.
• Macular pigment optical density was successfully revealed and quantified.

Conclusions:

• A single, compact imaging tool can perform in vivo oxygen saturation and macular pigment density measurements.
• The camera's broad spectral range, high resolution, rapid imaging, and compact design make it valuable for clinical spectral imaging.