Automated phase retardation oriented segmentation of chorio-scleral interface by polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography

An automated chorio-scleral interface (CSI) detection algorithm based on polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is presented. This algorithm employs a two-step scheme based on the phase retardation variation detected by PS-OCT. In the first step, a rough CSI segmentation is implemented to distinguish the choroid and sclera by using depth-oriented second derivative of the phase retardation. Second, the CSI is further finely defined as the intersection of lines fitted to the phase retardation in the choroid and sclera. This algorithm challenges the current back-scattering intensity based CSI segmentation approaches that are not fully based on anatomical and morphological evidence, and provides a rational segmentation method for the morphological investigation of the choroid. Applications of this algorithm are demonstrated on in vivo posterior images acquired by a PS-OCT system with 1-mu m probe. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America