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Published on: August 21, 2019
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An automated process for bulk downloading optical coherence tomography scans
Yaacov Cnaany1, Rivkah Lender1, Itay Chowers1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Hadassah University Medical Center, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel.
Summary
This study developed an automated method using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and Microsoft Excel to efficiently download large volumes of optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, significantly reducing processing time compared to manual methods.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Data Management
Background:
- Efficiently managing large datasets of optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans is crucial for research and clinical practice.
- The Heidelberg Spectralis platform generates proprietary E2E files that require a streamlined download process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an automated method for bulk downloading OCT scans from the Heidelberg Spectralis platform.
- To assess the efficiency and time savings of the automated method compared to manual downloading.
Main Methods:
- A Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macro was developed in Microsoft Excel to automate OCT scan export.
- The macro was applied to extract 94,789 E2E files from 2807 patient records with age-related macular degeneration.
- Data export efficiency was compared between automated and manual methods, and across different operating hours.
Main Results:
- The VBA macro successfully exported 94,789 OCT scans, averaging 4.32 minutes per volume scan.
- Automated downloading was significantly faster (3.88 min/file) than manual downloading (11.08 min/file).
- Exporting during off-clinic hours alongside working hours resulted in faster processing times.
Conclusions:
- VBA and Excel provide a feasible solution for automating the bulk download of medical imaging data.
- The developed automated method significantly reduces data retrieval time for Heidelberg Spectralis OCT scans.
- Specific implementation details may vary based on software and institutional constraints.
