Retinal pigment epithelium segmentation by polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography

Opt Express. 2008 Oct 13;16(21):16410-22. doi: 10.1364/oe.16.016410.

Abstract

We present a new method for identifying and segmenting the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) images of the human retina. Contrary to previous, intensity based segmentation algorithms, our method uses an intrinsic tissue property of the RPE: its depolarizing, or polarization scrambling effect on backscattered light. Two different segmentation algorithms are presented and discussed: a simpler algorithm based on retardation data, and a more sophisticated algorithm based on local variations of the polarization state calculated from averaged Stokes vector elements. By using a state of the art spectral domain PS-OCT instrument, we demonstrate the method in healthy and diseased eyes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement / methods*
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Refractometry / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / anatomy & histology*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*