Histological parametric maps of the human ocular fundus: preliminary results

Specific colours observed in images of the ocular fundus depend on the architecture of its layers and the optical properties and quantities of any pigments present. These colours can be predicted from the parameters describing the ocular tissue composition using a physics-based model of light transport. This paper reports preliminary results of the application of the inverse process by which the parameters can be estimated from image colours. This is achieved by relating the colour of each image pixel to the closest matching colour predicted by the light transport model, and hence to the parameters which generated it. The spatial distribution and estimated quantity of each parameter is shown in a separate image called parametric map. The first parametric maps of Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) melanin, choroidal melanin and choroidal blood computed by this method show a distribution of pigments which is generally consistent with physiology.