Image processing apparatus, control method, and computer readable storage medium for analyzing retina layers of an eye

A control method of an image processing apparatus, which analyzes retina layers of an eye to be examined, the control method comprising:

• extracting a feature amount, which represents an anatomical feature in the eye to be examined from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• detecting structures of the retina layers in a tomogram of the retina layers, wherein the tomogram corresponds to the fundus image;
• extracting information of a shape of at least one retina layer based on the detected structures of the retina layers;
• determining whether the anatomical feature includes a first morbid portion or a blood vessel based on the feature amount and determining whether or not the anatomical feature includes an age-related macular degeneration as a second morbid portion based on the information of the shape;
• deciding at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer from the retina layers according to the determination of whether the anatomical feature includes the first morbid portion or the blood vessel;
• modifying the decided at least one layer;
• and
• estimating, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the second morbid portion, a normal structure of the retinal pigment epithelium layer.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as an image processing apparatus, which analyzes retina layers of an eye to be examined, to:

• extract a feature amount, which represents an anatomical feature in the eye to be examined from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• detect structures of the retina layers in a tomogram of the retina layers, wherein the tomogram corresponds to the fundus image;
• extract information of a shape of at least one retina layer based on the detected structures of the retina layers;
• determine whether the anatomical feature includes a first morbid portion or a blood vessel based on the feature amount and to determine whether or not the anatomical feature includes an age-related macular degeneration as a second morbid portion based on the information of the shape;
• decide at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer from the retina layers according to the determination of whether the anatomical feature includes the first morbid portion or the blood vessel;
• and
• modify the decided at least one layer and estimate, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the second morbid portion, a normal structure of the retinal pigment epithelium layer.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to the one or more processors, the at least one memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to:
• extract a first morbid portion from a fundus image of an eye to be examined;
• specify a region in a tomogram of a fundus of the eye to be examined onto which the first morbid portion is projected;
• determine whether or not an age-related macular degeneration as a second morbid portion in the tomogram is present based on information of a shape of at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer of the fundus;
• estimate, in a case where the second morbid portion is present, a normal structure of the retinal pigment epithelium layer;
• decide at least one layer of the fundus according to the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected;
• and
• interpolate the decided at least one layer in the tomogram at the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected.

An image processing method using an image processing apparatus which processes a tomogram of a fundus of an eye to be examined and a fundus image of the eye to be examined, the method comprising:

• extracting a first morbid portion from the fundus image;
• specifying a region in the tomogram onto which the first morbid portion is projected
• determining whether or not an age-related macular degeneration as a second morbid portion in the tomogram is present based on information of a shape of at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer of the fundus;
• estimating, in a case where the second morbid portion is present, a normal structure of the retinal pigment epithelium layer;
• deciding at least one layer of the fundus according to the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected;
• and
• interpolating the decided at least one layer in the tomogram at the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as an image processing apparatus to:

• extract a first morbid portion from a fundus image of an eye to be examined;
• specify a region in a tomogram of a fundus of the eye to be examined onto which the first morbid portion is projected;
• determine whether or not an age-related macular degeneration as a second morbid portion in the tomogram is present based on information of a shape of at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer of the fundus;
• estimate, in a case where the second morbid portion is present, a normal structure of the retinal pigment epithelium layer;
• decide at least one layer of the fundus according to the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected;
• and
• interpolate the decided at least one layer in the tomogram at the specified region onto which the first morbid portion is projected.

An image processing apparatus, which analyzes retina layers of an eye to be examined, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to the one or more processors, the at least one memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the image processing apparatus to:
• extract a feature amount, which represents an anatomical feature in the eye to be examined from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• detect structures of the retina layers in a tomogram of the retina layers, wherein the tomogram corresponds to the fundus image;
• determine whether the anatomical feature includes an age-related macular degeneration or a blood vessel based on the feature amount;
• decide at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer from the retina layers;
• and
• modify, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the blood vessel, the decided at least one layer, to estimate, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the age-related macular degeneration, the retinal pigment epithelium layer.

A control method of an image processing apparatus, which analyzes retina layers of an eye to be examined, the control method comprising:

• extracting a feature amount, which represents an anatomical feature in the eye to be examined from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• detecting structures of the retina layers in a tomogram of the retina layers, wherein the tomogram corresponds to the fundus image;
• determining whether the anatomical feature includes an age-related macular degeneration or a blood vessel based on the feature amount;
• deciding at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer from the retina layers;
• and
• modifying, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the blood vessel, the decided at least one layer and estimating, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the age-related macular degeneration, the retinal pigment epithelium layer.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as an image processing apparatus, which analyzes retina layers of an eye to be examined, to:

• extract a feature amount, which represents an anatomical feature in the eye to be examined from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• detect structures of the retina layers in a tomogram of the retina layers, wherein the tomogram corresponds to the fundus image;
• whether the anatomical feature includes an age-related macular degeneration or a blood vessel based on the feature amount;
• decide at least one layer including a retinal pigment epithelium layer from the retina layers;
• and
• modify, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the blood vessel, the decided at least one layer and to estimate, in a case where the anatomical feature includes the age-related macular degeneration, the retinal pigment epithelium layer.