Automated quantification of Haller's layer in choroid using swept-source optical coherence tomography

Objective To develop an algorithm for automated quantification of Haller's layer in choroid using swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT). Background So far, to understand the association of various diseases with structural changes of choroid, only gross indicators such as thickness, volume and vascularity index have been examined. However, certain diseases affect specific sublayers of the choroid. Accordingly, a need for targeted quantitation arises. In particular, there is significant interest in understanding Haller's layer, a choroidal sublayer comprising relatively large blood vessels. Unfortunately, its intricate vasculature makes, manual quantitation difficult, tedious, and error-prone. To surmount this difficulty, it is imperative to develop an algorithmic method. Methodology The primary contribution of this work consists in developing an approach for detecting the boundary between Haller's and Sattler's layers, the latter comprising medium-sized vessels. The proposed algorithm estimates vessel cross-sections using exponentiation-based binarization, and labels a vessel large if its cross-section exceeds certain statistically determined threshold. Finally, the desired boundary is obtained as a smooth curve joining the innermost points of such large vessels. On 50 OCT B-scans (of 50 healthy eyes), our algorithm was validated both qualitatively and quantitatively, by comparing with intra-observer variability. Extensive statistical analysis was performed using metrics including Dice coefficient (DC), correlation coefficient (CC) and absolute difference (AD). Results The proposed algorithm achieved a mean DC of 89.48% (SD: 5.03%) in close agreement with the intra-observer repeatability of 89.12% (SD: 5.68%). Corresponding mean AD and mean CC were of 17.54 mu m (SD: 16.45 mu m) and 98.10% (SD: 1.60%) which too approximate the respective intra-observer repeatability values 19.19 mu m (SD: 17.69 mu m) and 98.58% (SD: 1.12%). Conclusion High correlation between algorithmic and manual delineations indicates suitability of our algorithm for clinically analyzing choroid in greater finer details, especially, in diseased eyes.