Fluid monitor utilises AI to identify, localise and quantify retinal fluid

At this year’s EURETINA in Hamburg, Germany, there were several engaging presentations during the Symposium Session that took place on the Friday, 2nd September on the important topic of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for fluid monitoring in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Towards the end of the Symposium Session, Stela Vujosevic, head of the Medical Retina Service at the University Hospital, “Maggiore della Carità”, Novara, Italy, provided attendees with some practical guidance on handling the RetInSight Fluid Monitor, a Class IIa medical device that can be used to help support clinical decisions in the monitoring of patients with nAMD in Europe.

The fluid monitor is designed to identify, localise and quantify retinal fluid in routine OCT images. It assigns a label to each OCT pixel, denoting the fluid type as IRF, SRF or PED, and provides its location within the central 1-mm and 6-mm macular area. Fluid measurements are provided in nanolitres.

According to Dr Vujosevic, it is important to distinguish between the specific fluid compartments due to the differences in the impact on visual function and the dynamics of fluid resolution whilst patients are receiving different treatment regimens. She explained that the measurements and readouts of fluid activity enable ophthalmologists to monitor disease progression or response to treatment. The monitor is intended to be compatible with all leading OCT systems.

Dr Vujosevic went onto discuss that the AI-based software can be deployed by the OCT operator under the supervision of an eyecare specialist in the clinic environment, producing a concise and highly accurate real-time report containing patient results whilst the patient is on site. Benefits to patients include shorter waiting times for appointments, less inconvenience and lower cost associated with travelling and absence from work resulting from over-treatment, as well as a lowered risk of vision loss caused by under-treatment.

Meanwhile, eyecare specialists benefit from being able to monitor their patients long term for optimised and personalised treatment regimens, as well as having access to a more efficient workflow and one which enables them to see more patients.