OCTAI: Smartphone-based Optical Coherence Tomography Image Analysis System

Abstract

Identifying diseases in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images using Deep Learning models and methods is emerging as a powerful technique to enhance clinical diagnosis. Identifying macular diseases in the eye at an early stage and preventing misdiagnosis is crucial. The current methods developed for OCT image analysis have not yet been integrated into an accessible form-factor that can be utilized in a real-life scenario by Ophthalmologists. Additionally, current methods do not employ robust multiple metric feedback. This paper proposes a highly accurate smartphone-based Deep Learning system, OCTAI, that allows a user to take an OCT picture and receive real-time feedback through on-device inference. OCTAI analyzes the input OCT image in three different ways: (1) full image analysis, (2) quadrant based analysis, and (3) disease detection based analysis. With these three analysis methods, along with an Ophthalmologist's interpretation, a robust diagnosis can potentially be made. The ultimate goal of OCTAI is to assist Ophthalmologists in making a diagnosis through a digital second opinion and enabling them to cross-check their diagnosis before making a decision based on purely manual analysis of OCT images. OCTAI has the potential to allow Ophthalmologists to improve their diagnosis and may reduce misdiagnosis rates, leading to faster treatment of diseases.