Automatic segmentation and quantified analysis of meibomian glands from infrared images

Purpose: An algorithm for automated segmentation of meibomian glands from infrared images obtained using a novel prototype infrared hand?held imager has been proposed in this study. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is quantified in terms of five clinically relevant metrics. A comparison of these metrics in patients with MGD has been presented against a sample of the normative healthy population. Methods: This is a prospective cross?sectional observational study. Patients presenting to the clinics were enrolled after written informed consent. The everted eyelids of 200 eyes of patients (of which 100 were healthy and 100 were diagnosed with MGD) were imaged using a prototype hand?held camera. The proposed algorithm was used to process the images using enhancement techniques and the glands were automatically segmented. A comparison of glands of normal eyes versus MGD?affected eyes is performed using five metrics presented in this study: (i) drop?out, (ii) length, (iii) width, (iv) the number of glands, and (v) the number of tortuous glands. Results: The 95% confidence interval for the metrics did not show any overlap between the two groups. In MGD patients, the drop?out ratio was higher than normal. The length and number of glands were significantly lesser than normal. A number of tortuous glands were more in the MGD group. The metrics for MGD versus healthy and cut?off ranges were computed in the results. Conclusion: The prototype infrared hand?held meibographer and the proposed automatic algorithm for gland segmentation and quantification are effective aids in MGD diagnosis. We present a set of five metrics, which are clinically relevant for guiding clinicians in the diagnosis of MGD

Automated detection of diabetic retinopathy in retinal images.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a disease with an increasing prevalence and the main cause of blindness among working-age population. The risk of severe vision loss can be significantly reduced by timely diagnosis and treatment. Systematic screening for DR has been identified as a cost-effective way to save health services resources. Automatic retinal image analysis is emerging as an important screening tool for early DR detection, which can reduce the workload associated to manual grading as well as save diagnosis costs and time. Many research efforts in the last years have been devoted to developing automatic tools to help in the detection and evaluation of DR lesions. However, there is a large variability in the databases and evaluation criteria used in the literature, which hampers a direct comparison of the different studies. This work is aimed at summarizing the results of the available algorithms for the detection and classification of DR pathology. A detailed literature search was conducted using PubMed. Selected relevant studies in the last 10 years were scrutinized and included in the review. Furthermore, we will try to give an overview of the available commercial software for automatic retinal image analysis.

Circulation enzymatic homocysteine reagent performance verification / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To do performance verification for full automatic biochemical analyzer of homocysteine reagent analysis and applied in the clinic .Methods In Japan to push around AU‐640 fully automatic biochemical analyzer in sichuan new into the company′s production cycle enzymatic determination of homocysteine (Hcy ) reagent for performance verification ,reference CLSI EP6‐A ,EP15‐A ,EP‐7 scheme for the precision of the detection method ,linear range ,interference factors (bilirubin ,hemoglobin , chyle) assessed ,and the traditional ,the high efficiency liquid chromatography (HPLC) had carried on the comparison ,and the qual‐ity control before the influencing factors of experiment analysis .Results In precision experiments ,batch :CV2 .37 % (underval‐ued) ,3 .58% (high value) ,the total CV :4 .52% (low ) ,4 .85% (high value);In good correlation with HPLC method (r2 =0 .996 ,P>0 .996);The linear range of 2 .0-50 .0 μmol/L ,good linear correlation ;Test concentration within the three distractors (bilirubin 20 mg/dL or less ,triglycerides 1 000 mg/dL or less ,Hb 150 mg/dL or less) no significant interference of reagent ;In pursuance of postures have an impact on the results ;Whole blood specimens of 1 hour separation serum ,serum 4 ℃ for 15 days and 12 hours -20 ℃ results have no obvious change ;EDTA with heparin anti‐clotting results no difference .Hcy levels were positively correlated with cardio‐cerebrovascular disease ,the positive detection rate higher than that of the traditional blood fat index .Conclusion Through out the cycle of automatic biochemical analyzer enzymatic homocysteine reagent has high precision and sensitivity ,and tra‐ditional ,the high efficiency liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of the related good ,can meet the requirements of clinical test ,is suitable for the normal serum (plasma Hcy) and automated analysis .

Time Efficiency and Diagnostic Accuracy of New Automated Myocardial Perfusion Analysis Software in 320-Row CT Cardiac Imaging

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the time efficiency and diagnostic accuracy of automated myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) image analysis software. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 320-row CTP was performed in 30 patients, and analyses were conducted independently by three different blinded readers by the use of two recent software releases (version 4.6 and novel version 4.71GR001, Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan). Analysis times were compared, and automated epi- and endocardial contour detection was subjectively rated in five categories (excellent, good, fair, poor and very poor). As semi-quantitative perfusion parameters, myocardial attenuation and transmural perfusion ratio (TPR) were calculated for each myocardial segment and agreement was tested by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Conventional coronary angiography served as reference standard. RESULTS: The analysis time was significantly reduced with the novel automated software version as compared with the former release (Reader 1: 43:08 +/- 11:39 min vs. 09:47 +/- 04:51 min, Reader 2: 42:07 +/- 06:44 min vs. 09:42 +/- 02:50 min and Reader 3: 21:38 +/- 3:44 min vs. 07:34 +/- 02:12 min; p or = 0.75) for myocardial attenuation in 93% and for TPR in 82%. Diagnostic accuracy for the two software versions was not significantly different (p = 0.169) as compared with conventional coronary angiography. CONCLUSION: The novel automated CTP analysis software offers enhanced time efficiency with an improvement by a factor of about four, while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Statistical Analysis System of Spontaneous Adverse Drug Reaction Reports

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting data has been used for safety of post-market drug surveillance. A system has been required that is able to detect signals associated with drugs by analyzing the collected ADR data. METHODS: We developed the web-based automated analysis system (ADR-detector). We used the data which reported ADR spontaneously between March 2009 and December 2010 to Korean Food and Drug Administration. We used 3 statistical indicators for evaluating ADR signals: proportional reporting ratio (PRR), reporting odds ratio (ROR), and information component (IC). The ADR reports which were detected as significant signals based on the indicators have been reviewed. RESULTS: Among 153,774 reports, 9,955 cases were related to 4 analgesics which were most frequently reported analgesic drugs during the study period. The numbers of ADR reports associated with each drug are as follow: 5,623 reports in tramadol (56.5 %), 1,720 reports in fentanyl (17.3 %), 1,463 reports in tramadol-combination (14.7 %), and 1,149 reports in ketorolac (11.5 %). Top 5 ADR were nausea (3,351 reports - 33.7 %), vomiting (1,755 reports - 17.6 %), dizziness (1,130 - 11.4 %), rash (412 reports - 4.1 %), and pruritus (354 reports - 3.6 %). 6,674 ADR reports were significant based on PRR and ROR, and 336 reports were significant based on IC. CONCLUSION: By using the automated analysis system, not only statisticians but also general researchers are able to analyze ADR signals in real-time. Also ADR-detector would provide rapid review and cross-check of ADR.

Digital X-ray Imaging in Dentistry / 대한구강악안면방사선학회지

In dentistry, RadioVisioGraphy was introduced as a first electronic dental x-ray imaging modality in 1989. Thereafter, many types of direct digital radiographic systems have been produced in the last decade. They are based either on charge-coupled device(CCD) or on storage phosphor technology. In addition, new types of digital radiographic system using amorphous selenium, image intensifier etc. are under development. Advantages of digital radiographic system are elimination of chemical processing, reduction in radiation dose, image processing, computer storage, electronic transfer of images and so on. Image processing includes image enhancement, image reconstruction, digital subtraction, etc. Especially digital subtraction and reconstruction can be applied in many aspects of clinical practice and research. Electronic transfer of images enables filmless dental hospital and teleradiology/teledentistry system. Since the first image management and communications system(IMACS) for dentomaxillofacial radiology was reported in 1992, IMACS in dental hospital has been increasing. Meanwhile, researches about computer-assisted diagnosis, such as structural analysis of bone trabecular patterns of mandible, feature extraction, automated identification of normal landmarks on cephalometric radiograph and automated image analysis for caries or periodontitis, have been performed actively in the last decade. Further developments in digital radiographic imaging modalities, image transmission system, imaging processing and automated analysis software will change the traditional clinical dental practice in the 21st century.