Tak N, Reddy AJ, Martel J, Martel JB. Clinical Wide-Field Retinal Image Deep Learning Classification of Exudative and Non-Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
Cureus 2021;
13:e17579. [PMID:
34646633 PMCID:
PMC8480936 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.17579]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that currently affects approximately 196 million individuals and is projected to affect 288 million in 2040. As a result, better and earlier detection methods for this disease are needed in an effort to provide a higher quality of care. One way to achieve this is through the utilization of machine learning. A deep neural network, specifically a convoluted neural network (CNN) can be trained to differentiate between different types of AMD images given the proper training data.
Methods: In this study, a CNN was trained on 420 Optos wide-field retinal images for 70 epochs in order to classify between exudative and non-exudative AMD. These images were obtained and labeled by ophthalmologists from the Martel Eye Clinic in Rancho Cordova, CA.
Results: After completing the study, a model was created with 88% accuracy. Both the training and validation loss started above 1 and ended below 0.2. Despite only analyzing a single image at a time, the model was still able to accurately identify if the individual had AMD in both eyes or one eye only. The model had the most trouble with bilateral non-exudative AMD. Overall the model was fairly accurate in the other categories. It was noted that the neural network was able to further differentiate from a single image if the disease is present in left, right, or both eyes. This is a point of contention for further investigation as it is impossible for the artificial intelligence (AI) to extrapolate the condition of both eyes from only one image.
Conclusion: This research fostered the development of a CNN that was able to differentiate between exudative and non-exudative AMD. As well as determine if the disease is present in the right, left, or both eyes with a relatively high degree of accuracy. The model was trained on clinical data and can theoretically be used to classify other clinical images it has never encountered before.
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