Arrangement and method for determining the two-dimensional distribution of fundus pigments, particularly of the macular pigment xanthophyll

US7058212B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Meditec AG · DE

Inventors

• Dietrich Schweitzer · Neustadt an der Orla, DE
• Lutz Leistritz · Jena, DE
• Martin Hammer · Arendonk, BE
• Karl-Heinz Donnerhacke · Jena, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 13, 2002
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2006
• Expiry date: Jul 7, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B3/12
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An arrangement and method for determining the two-dimensional distribution of fundus pigments, particularly of the xanthophyll macular pigment. The arrangement for carrying out the method comprises an illumination unit which illuminates the retina via an illumination beam path directed to the ocular fundus, observation optics located in the observation beam path proceeding from the ocular fundus, an image processing unit, elements for beam deflection and a central controlling and evaluating unit. In the method, a two-dimensional reflection image of the retina is recorded in a selected narrow-band wavelength region. In evaluating this two-dimensional reflection image, site-specific areas are established for determining the optical density and comparison values. The optical density of the fundus pigment at every fundus location is calculated from the negative logarithmic value of the quotient of the intensity value of the reflection image IR(λ) at this fundus site to a comparison intensity value of the reflection image IR(λ)Comparison. The suggested solution for the objective detection of the two-dimensional distribution of the optical density of the macular pigment xanthophyll is al…