VAMPIRE® fundus image analysis algorithms: Validation and diagnostic relevance in hypertensive cats

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Alessandro Cirla1,2, Michele Drigo3, Lucia Ballerini4

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, San Marco Veterinary Clinic and Laboratory, Veggiano, Italy.

Veterinary Ophthalmology
|February 23, 2019
PubMed

Insights

The VAMPIRE® software effectively diagnoses feline hypertension by analyzing retinal vasculature. This tool objectively measures changes in feline retinal arteries and veins, aiding in early detection of systemic hypertension.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Ophthalmology
  • Comparative Medicine
  • Medical Imaging Analysis

Background:

  • Systemic hypertension in cats can lead to significant ocular complications.
  • Objective diagnostic tools are needed to assess retinal vascular changes in feline hypertension.
  • The VAMPIRE® (Vascular Assay and Measurement Platform for Images of the Retina) software, developed for human use, has potential applications in veterinary medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To validate the VAMPIRE® software for analyzing feline retinal vasculature.
  • To assess the clinical utility of VAMPIRE® in identifying hypertensive cats.
  • To investigate the correlation between retinal vascular parameters and systemic hypertension in felines.

Main Methods:

  • 105 healthy cats (normal group) and 43 hypertensive cats (clinical group) were enrolled.
  • Digital retinal images were analyzed using VAMPIRE® software, measuring 11 vascular points (veins, arteries, bifurcations).
  • Repeatability and reproducibility were assessed by two independent operators; data analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Tukey box plots (P < 0.05).

Main Results:

  • 210 retinal images yielded 2310 measurements; mean vein diameter was 9.1 pixels, mean artery diameter was 6.1 pixels.
  • Arteriolar bifurcation angles averaged 73.6°, 76.9°, and 85.4° for first, second, and third bifurcations, respectively.
  • Hypertensive cats showed significantly reduced arteriolar diameter (3.3 pixels) and branch angles (55°, 47.8°, 59.9°) with increased vein diameter (24.15 pixels) compared to healthy cats.

Conclusions:

  • The VAMPIRE® algorithm is a viable tool for objective diagnosis of retinal vascular changes in cats.
  • The software demonstrated clinical utility in differentiating hypertensive from healthy feline subjects.
  • VAMPIRE® can serve as an additional diagnostic aid for feline systemic hypertension, extending human medical imaging techniques to veterinary applications.
Abstract

Keywords:
catfundusimage analysis algorithmsretinal photographysoftware validationsystemic hypertension

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