Open AccessSemi-automated identification of cones in the human retina using circle Hough transform
Author(s) -
Danuta Bukowska,
Avenell L. Chew,
Emily Huynh,
Irwin Kashani,
Sue Ling Wan,
Pak Ming Wan,
Fred K. Chen
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
biomedical optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.362
H-Index - 86
ISSN - 2156-7085
DOI - 10.1364/boe.6.004676
Subject(s) - foveal , artificial intelligence , computer science , computer vision , hough transform , adaptive optics , optics , image processing , retina , cone (formal languages) , optical coherence tomography , identification (biology) , physics , retinal , algorithm , image (mathematics) , ophthalmology , medicine , botany , biology
A large number of human retinal diseases are characterized by a progressive loss of cones, the photoreceptors critical for visual acuity and color perception. Adaptive Optics (AO) imaging presents a potential method to study these cells in vivo. However, AO imaging in ophthalmology is a relatively new phenomenon and quantitative analysis of these images remains difficult and tedious using manual methods. This paper illustrates a novel semi-automated quantitative technique enabling registration of AO images to macular landmarks, cone counting and its radius quantification at specified distances from the foveal center. The new cone counting approach employs the circle Hough transform (cHT) and is compared to automated counting methods, as well as arbitrated manual cone identification. We explore the impact of varying the circle detection parameter on the validity of cHT cone counting and discuss the potential role of using this algorithm in detecting both cones and rods separately.