Decision-making support system for the personalization of retinal laser treatment in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

In this work, we propose a decision-making support system for automatically mapping an effective photocoagulation pattern for the laser treatment of diabetic retinopathy. The purpose of research to create automated personalization of diabetic macular edema laser treatment. The results are based on analysis of large semi-structured data, methods and algorithms for fundus image processing. The technology improves the quality of retina laser coagulation in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, which is one of the main reasons for pronounced vision decrease. The proposed technology includes original solutions to establish an optimal localization of multitude burns by determining zones exposed to laser. It also includes the recognition of large amount of unstructured data on the anatomical and pathological locations' structures in the area of edema and data optical coherent tomography. As a result, a uniform laser application on the pigment epithelium of the affected retina is ensured. It will increase the treatment safety and its effectiveness, thus avoiding the use of more expensive treatment methods. Assessment of retinal lesions volume and quality will allow predicting the laser photocoagulation results and will contribute to the improvement of laser surgeon's skills. The architecture of a software complex comprises a number of modules, including image processing methods, algorithms for photocoagulation pattern mapping, and intelligent analysis methods.