Method for computing morphology of cornea endothelium cells

Abstract

In examining the progress of patients before and after a cataract operation, the morphology of cornea endothelium cells used in medical treatment, may be determined from a cornea endothelium cell image with less labor. Center points of two-dimensionally continuous cells of a cornea endothelium cell image are entered into a computer, and peripheral points obtained by determining peripheral points which are center points of the cells within a specified distance from one center point are sorted clockwise. If an angle formed by successive two peripheral points and the center point is less than a specified angle, the greater of the two peripheral points in distance from the center point is excluded from the peripheral points. If a distance between the first point and the third point of the obtained successive three peripheral points is shorter than a distance between the center point and the second point, the second point is excluded from the peripheral points, and average distances between the peripheral points and the center point are determined. A perpendicular line that proportionally divides a distance between a center point and its peripheral points by their average distances to the peripheral points is determined for each of the successive peripheral points, and intersection points of the resulting perpendicular lines are determined as vertices of the cells. Thus, morphological data are computed from the obtained vertices.