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A-scan ultrasonic system for real time automatic cataract detection

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Abstract

Cataract is an ocular condition associated to the loss of the normal crystalline lens transparency, and its progression can result in a total loss of vision. The gold standard diagnostic method consists on qualitative observation through a slit lamp. This method has two limitations: incipient cataract may not be detected and the cataract hardness is subjectively evaluated. It may delay the diagnosis, or result on phacoemulsification surgeries complications when cataract hardness is not correctly estimated. On this study we present a new prototype for objective cataract detection and characterization, based on ultrasounds. The Eye Scan Ultrasonic System (ESUS) acquires A-scan signals at a nominal frequency of 20 MHz. The lens interfaces can be automatically detected in real time, based on the analysis of signal energy levels. The detection and characterization of cataract type and severity is done by an automatic classification algorithm based on features extracted in time and frequency domain. The system performance has been tested on preclinical data, and the beginning of clinical studies is expected shortly.

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Funding

This work was supported by national funds and co-funded by POCI – COMPETE2020 and by FEDER – PT2020 partnership, through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the projects CATARATA (PTDC/DTP-PIC/0419/2012), CATARACTUS (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028758), and UIDB/EEA/50008/2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal

    Lorena Petrella, Carlos Pinto, Fernando Perdigão, Marco Gomes, Mário Santos & Jaime Santos

  2. Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes, University of Coimbra, 3030-788, Coimbra, Portugal

    Lorena Petrella, Mário Santos, Miguel Caixinha & Jaime Santos

  3. Instituto de Telecomunicações – Pole of Coimbra, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal

    Carlos Pinto, Fernando Perdigão & Marco Gomes

  4. Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal

    Sandrina Nunes

  5. Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, University of Coimbra, 3004-516, Coimbra, Portugal

    Miguel Morgado

  6. Department of Physics, University of Beira Interior, 6291-001, Covilhã, Portugal

    Miguel Caixinha

Authors
  1. Lorena Petrella
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  2. Carlos Pinto
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  3. Fernando Perdigão
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  4. Marco Gomes
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  5. Mário Santos
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  6. Sandrina Nunes
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  7. Miguel Morgado
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  8. Miguel Caixinha
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  9. Jaime Santos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorena Petrella.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Animal rights

All the experiments were carried out in accordance with the European regulation on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Directive 2010/63/EU). The experiments were approved by the National Directorate General of Food and Veterinary Medicine and by the Animal Welfare Office of the University of Coimbra. The animal experiments were made with care to minimize its suffering.

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Petrella, L., Pinto, C., Perdigão, F. et al. A-scan ultrasonic system for real time automatic cataract detection. Health Technol. 10, 905–911 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-020-00445-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-020-00445-2

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