Image processing apparatus for processing a tomogram of an eye to be examined, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• at least one memory;
• and
• at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
• extracting boundaries of retina layers from a tomogram of an eye to be examined;
• specifying a region where an exudate exists in the tomogram using a fundus image of the eye to be examined and the extracted boundaries of the retina layers;
• calculating, according to distances between the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, likelihoods of existence of the exudate in the specified region of the tomogram;
• and
• extracting, according to voxels having intensities higher than a threshold and the calculated likelihoods, an exudate region in the specified region of the tomogram.

An image processing method comprising:

• extracting boundaries of retina layers from a tomogram of an eye to be examined;
• extracting an exudate region from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• specifying a region where an exudate exists in the tomogram using the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, and the extracted exudate region;
• calculating, according to distances between the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, likelihoods of existence of the exudate in the specified region of the tomogram;
• and
• extracting, according to voxels having intensities higher than a threshold and the calculated likelihoods, an exudate region in the specified region of the tomogram.

An image processing method comprising:

• extracting boundaries of retina layers from a tomogram of an eye to be examined;
• specifying a region where an exudate exists in the tomogram using a fundus image of the eye to be examined and the extracted boundaries of the retina layers;
• calculating, according to distances between the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, likelihoods of existence of the exudate in the specified region of the tomogram;
• and
• extracting, according to voxels having intensities higher than a threshold and the calculated likelihoods, an exudate region in the specified region of the tomogram.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer perform operations comprising:

• extracting boundaries of retina layers from a tomogram of an eye to be examined;
• extracting an exudate region from a fundus image of the eye to be examined;
• specifying a region where an exudate exists in the tomogram using the extracted boundaries of the retina layers and the extracted exudate region;
• calculating, according to distances between the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, likelihoods of existence of the exudate in the specified region of the tomogram;
• and
• extracting, according to voxels having intensities higher than a threshold and the calculated likelihoods, an exudate region in the specified region of the tomogram.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer perform operations comprising:

• extracting boundaries of retina layers from a tomogram of an eye to be examined;
• specifying a region where an exudate exists in the tomogram using a fundus image of the eye to be examined and the extracted boundaries of the retina layers;
• calculating, according to distances between the extracted boundaries of the retina layers, likelihoods of existence of the exudate in the specified region of the tomogram;
• and
• extracting, according to voxels having intensities higher than a threshold and the calculated likelihoods, an exudate region in the specified region of the tomogram.