US 2004/0064064 A1 · Method and system for detecting the effects of alzheimer's disease in the human retina

Abstract

A system for the in vivo detection of the effects of AD in the interior of an eye. A scanning polarimeter, including a residual retardance canceling system and an improved anterior segment retardance compensator, produces an optical analysis signal representing the birefringence of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) structures of the eye. The birefringence data is more accurate because of compensation for anterior segment birefringence and residual birefringence of optical components, such as, for example, the beam splitters, lenses, scanners and retarders. An electrical analysis signal representing a large (20 by 40 degrees) retardance map is produced and evaluated by an artificial neural network to produce an analysis classification signal representing the contribution of Alzheimer's disease to the birefringence of the retinal layer corresponding to the relationship of the electrical analysis signal to an analysis signal database.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for detecting the effects of Alzheimer's disease in the interior of an eye having a pupil, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing an optical analysis signal representing the birefringence of biological segments between the exterior of the eye and a posterior surface in a retinal layer in the interior of the eye;
(b) adjusting the optical analysis signal to cancel the effects of birefringence in the biological segments anterior to the retinal layer;
(c) passing the adjusted optical analysis signal through one or more optical elements exterior to the eye;
(d) producing an electrical analysis signal representing the adjusted optical analysis signal;
(e) processing the electrical analysis signal to cancel the effects of residual birefringence in the one or more optical elements exterior to the eye;
and
(f) producing an analysis classification signal representing the contribution of Alzheimer's disease to the birefringence of the retinal layer corresponding to the relationship of the electrical analysis signal to an analysis signal database.

4 more elements

A system for detecting the effects of Alzheimer's disease in the interior of an eye having a pupil, comprising:

scanning polarimeter means for producing an optical analysis signal representing the birefringence of biological segments of the eye between the exterior of the eye and a posterior surface of a retinal layer in the interior of the eye;
variable retarder means for adjusting the optical analysis signal to remove the effects of birefringence of the biological segments anterior to the retinal layer;
one or more optical elements exterior to the eye for directing the optical analysis signal;
detector means for producing an electrical analysis signal representing the adjusted optical analysis signal;
processor means coupled to the detector means for canceling the effects on the electrical analysis signal of residual birefringence in the one or more optical elements exterior to the eye;
and
artificial neural network means for producing an analysis classification signal representing the contribution of Alzheimer's disease to the birefringence of the retinal layer corresponding to the relationship of the electrical analysis signal to an analysis signal database.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for detecting the effects of alzheimer's disease in the human retina

Life of this patent

Method and system for detecting the effects of alzheimer's disease in the human retina

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20