Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration

Segmentations of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) images provide valuable information about each specific retinal layer. However, processing images from degenerative retina remains challenging. This study developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation to analyze structure change...

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Main Authors: Yong Zeng, Jiaming Zhou, Yichao Li, Bruno Alvisio, Jacob Czech, David Bissig, Haohua Qian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1605639/full
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author Yong Zeng
Jiaming Zhou
Jiaming Zhou
Yichao Li
Bruno Alvisio
Jacob Czech
David Bissig
Haohua Qian
author_facet Yong Zeng
Jiaming Zhou
Jiaming Zhou
Yichao Li
Bruno Alvisio
Jacob Czech
David Bissig
Haohua Qian
author_sort Yong Zeng
collection DOAJ
description Segmentations of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) images provide valuable information about each specific retinal layer. However, processing images from degenerative retina remains challenging. This study developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation to analyze structure changes in sodium iodate (SI)-treated mice. The software is capable of segmenting seven retinal layers and one choroid layer. Analyzing OCT images captured at days post SI-injection (PI) revealed early changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, with increase in thickness and reduction in reflectance calculated by estimated Attenuation Coefficients (eAC). On the other hand, eAC for outer nuclear layer (ONL) exhibited early and sustained increase after SI treatment. SI induced exponential reduction in ONL thickness with a half-reduction time of about 3 days, indicating progressive photoreceptor degeneration. The extent of degeneration was correlated with ONL eAC level at PI1. Inner retinal layers showed bi-phasic reactions, with initial increases in layer thickness that peaked at around PI3, followed by gradual reduction to lower than baseline levels. In addition, SI also induced transient increases in vitreous particles concentrated around the optic nerve head. Furthermore, there was a gradual reduction of choroid thickness after SI treatment. These results indicate the AI-segmentation tool's usefulness for providing a sensitive and accurate assessment of structure changes in diseased retina and revealed more detailed characterization of SI-induced degeneration in all retinal layers with distinct time courses. Our results also support ONL reflectance changes as an early biomarker for retinal degeneration.
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spelling doaj-art-07469d2dc89041399ebb6998979c64dc2025-08-20T03:31:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience1662-51022025-06-011910.3389/fncel.2025.16056391605639Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degenerationYong Zeng0Jiaming Zhou1Jiaming Zhou2Yichao Li3Bruno Alvisio4Jacob Czech5David Bissig6Haohua Qian7Visual Function Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesVisual Function Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesNorthwestern University, Evanston, IL, United StatesVisual Function Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesOSIO Bioinformatics Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesOSIO Bioinformatics Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesDepartment of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United StatesVisual Function Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United StatesSegmentations of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) images provide valuable information about each specific retinal layer. However, processing images from degenerative retina remains challenging. This study developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based segmentation to analyze structure changes in sodium iodate (SI)-treated mice. The software is capable of segmenting seven retinal layers and one choroid layer. Analyzing OCT images captured at days post SI-injection (PI) revealed early changes in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, with increase in thickness and reduction in reflectance calculated by estimated Attenuation Coefficients (eAC). On the other hand, eAC for outer nuclear layer (ONL) exhibited early and sustained increase after SI treatment. SI induced exponential reduction in ONL thickness with a half-reduction time of about 3 days, indicating progressive photoreceptor degeneration. The extent of degeneration was correlated with ONL eAC level at PI1. Inner retinal layers showed bi-phasic reactions, with initial increases in layer thickness that peaked at around PI3, followed by gradual reduction to lower than baseline levels. In addition, SI also induced transient increases in vitreous particles concentrated around the optic nerve head. Furthermore, there was a gradual reduction of choroid thickness after SI treatment. These results indicate the AI-segmentation tool's usefulness for providing a sensitive and accurate assessment of structure changes in diseased retina and revealed more detailed characterization of SI-induced degeneration in all retinal layers with distinct time courses. Our results also support ONL reflectance changes as an early biomarker for retinal degeneration.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1605639/fullmouseretinaoptical coherence tomographysodium iodatesegmentationchoroid
spellingShingle Yong Zeng
Jiaming Zhou
Jiaming Zhou
Yichao Li
Bruno Alvisio
Jacob Czech
David Bissig
Haohua Qian
Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
mouse
retina
optical coherence tomography
sodium iodate
segmentation
choroid
title Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
title_full Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
title_fullStr Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
title_short Evaluation of retinal structure changes with AI-based OCT image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
title_sort evaluation of retinal structure changes with ai based oct image segmentation for sodium iodate induced retinal degeneration
topic mouse
retina
optical coherence tomography
sodium iodate
segmentation
choroid
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2025.1605639/full
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