Method of controlling ophthalmic observation apparatus and ophthalmic observation apparatus

Abstract

A control method of an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises an analysis means that analyze an image of an eye formed by using OCT, comprising: storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least the analysis means; identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and controlling at least the analysis means based on the identified operational details. The analysis means can execute multiple analytic processings including layer-thickness analysis and/or lesion identification analysis. In the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with at least one of the multiple analytic processings. In the identifying step, the analytic processing that is associated with the operation mode is identified by referring to the operation mode information. In the controlling step, the identified analytic processing is executed by controlling the analysis means.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises an analysis means configured to analyze an image of an eye formed by using optical coherence tomography, comprising:
 a storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least the analysis means;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and   a controlling step of controlling at least the analysis means based on the identified operational details, wherein   the analysis means is capable of executing a plurality of sets of analytic processing, including at least one of layer-thickness analysis that obtains the thickness of a prescribed layer of the eye, and lesion identification analysis that identifies the position of a lesion in the eye,   in the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with at least one of the plurality of sets of analytic processing,   in the identifying step, the analytic processing that is associated with the operation mode is identified by referring to the operation mode information, and   in the controlling step, the identified analytic processing is executed by controlling the analysis means.   
     
     
         2 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises an analysis means configured to analyze an image of an eye formed by using optical coherence tomography and an output means configured to output examination-results information including image analysis results by the analysis means, comprising:
 a storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least the output means;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and   a controlling step of controlling at least the output means based on the identified operational details, wherein   in the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with information types included in the examination-results information and an output layout of the examination-results information by the output means,   in the identifying step, the information types and the output layout that are associated with the operation mode are identified by referring to the operation mode information, and   in the controlling step, the examination-results information including the identified information types is arranged in the identified output layout and output by controlling the output means.   
     
     
         3 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises an optical system for executing optical coherence tomography, comprising:
 a storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least the optical system;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and   a controlling step of controlling at least the optical system based on the identified operational details, wherein   the optical system comprises a fixation optical system that present an eye with a fixation target for fixating the eye in a prescribed fixation direction,   in the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with a fixation direction by the fixation optical system,   in the identifying step, the fixation direction that is associated with the operation mode is identified by referring to the operation mode information, and   in the controlling step, the fixation target for fixating in the identified fixation direction is presented by controlling the fixation optical system.   
     
     
         4 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises an optical system for executing optical coherence tomography and an image forming means configured to form an image of an eye based on data obtained by the optical system, comprising:
 a storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least the optical system and the image forming means;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and   a controlling step of controlling at least the optical system and the image forming means based on the identified operational details, wherein   the optical system comprises a scanning means that scans the irradiation position of signal light on the eye,   in the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with a scanning pattern of the irradiation position by the scanning means and an image type formed by the image forming means,   in the identifying step, the scanning pattern and the image type that are associated with the operation mode are identified by referring to the operation mode information, and   in the controlling step, the irradiation position of the signal light is scanned with the identified scanning pattern by controlling the scanning means, and an image of the eye of the identified image type is formed by controlling the image forming means.   
     
     
         5 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises: an optical system for executing optical coherence tomography; an image forming means configured to form an image of an eye based on data obtained by the optical system; an analysis means configured to analyze the image formed by the image forming means; and an output means configured to output examination-results information including image analysis results by the analysis means, comprising:
 a storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of each of the optical system, the image forming means, the analysis means and the output means;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information; and   a controlling step of controlling the optical system, the image forming means, the analysis means and the output means based on the identified operational details, wherein   the optical system comprises:   a fixation optical system that present an eye with a fixation target for fixating the eye in a prescribed fixation direction; and   a scanning means that scans the irradiation position of signal light on the eye,   the analysis means is capable of executing a plurality of sets of analytic processing, including at least one of layer-thickness analysis that obtains the thickness of a prescribed layer of the eye, and lesion identification analysis that identifies the position of a lesion in the eye,   in the operation mode information, the operation mode is associated with a fixation direction by the fixation optical system, a scanning pattern of the irradiation position by the scanning means, an image type formed by the image forming means, at least one of the plurality of sets of analytic processing, information types included in the examination-results information and an output layout of the examination-results information by the output means,   in the identifying step, the fixation direction, the scanning pattern, the image type, the analytic processing, the information types and the output layout that are associated with the operation mode are identified by referring to the operation mode information, and   in the controlling step, the fixation target for fixating in the identified fixation direction is presented by controlling the fixation optical system, the irradiation position of the signal light is scanned with the identified scanning pattern by controlling the scanning means, an image of the eye of the identified image type is formed by controlling the image forming means, the identified analytic processing is executed by controlling the analysis means, and the examination-results information including the identified information types is arranged in the identified output layout and output by controlling the output means.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the operation mode is a macular examination mode for examining the macula of the fundus, and   in the operation mode information, in relation to the macular examination mode: a macula fixation direction for irradiating the macula and the surrounding area with the signal light is associated as the fixation direction; a three-dimensional scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged in the form of lattice points, a radial scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged radially, or a line scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged linearly is associated as the scanning pattern; as the image type, a three-dimensional image is associated if the scanning pattern is the three-dimensional scan, or a tomographic image is associated if the scanning pattern is the radial scan or the line scan; a retinal thickness analysis that obtains the retinal thickness and compares it with a prescribed standard thickness is associated as the analytic processing; a tomographic image and the results of the comparison by the retinal thickness analysis are associated as the information type; and a macular examination template that arranges the tomographic image and the results of the comparison in a prescribed arrangement is associated as the output layout.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the operation mode is an optic-disc examination mode for examining the optic papilla of the fundus, and   in the operation mode information, in relation to the optic-disc examination mode: an optic-disc fixation direction for irradiating the optic papilla and the surrounding area with the signal light is associated as the fixation direction; a circle scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged circularly, or a three-dimensional scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged in the form of lattice points is associated as the scanning pattern; as the image type, a tomographic image is associated if the scanning pattern is the circle scan, or a three-dimensional image is associated if the scanning pattern is the three-dimensional scan; an RNFL (retinal nerve fiber layer) thickness analysis that obtains the RNFL thickness and compares it with a prescribed standard thickness, and an optic-disc shape analysis that detects the opening of the retina and analyzes the shape of the optic papilla are associated as the analytic processing; a tomographic image, the results of the comparison from the RNFL thickness analysis, and the results of the optic-disc shape analysis are associated as the information type; and an optic-disc examination template that arranges the tomographic image, the results of the comparison, and the results of the optic-disc shape analysis in a prescribed arrangement is associated as the output layout.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the operation mode is a glaucoma examination mode for performing glaucoma examinations, and   in the operation mode information, in relation to the glaucoma examination mode: a macular fixation direction for irradiating the macula and the surrounding area with the signal light, and an optic-disc fixation direction for irradiating the optic papilla and the surrounding area with the signal light are associated as the fixation direction; a three-dimensional scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged in the form of lattice points is associated as the scanning pattern; a three-dimensional image of the macula and the surrounding area and a three-dimensional image of the optic papilla and the surrounding area are associated as the image type; an RNFL (retinal nerve fiber layer) thickness analysis that obtains the RNFL thickness and compares it with a prescribed standard thickness, and an optic-disc shape analysis that detects the opening of the retina and analyzes the shape of the optic papilla are associated as the analytic processing; a tomographic image, the results of the comparison from the RNFL thickness analysis, and the results of the optic-disc shape analysis are associated as the information type; and a glaucoma diagnosis template that arranges the tomographic image, the results of the comparison, and the results of the optic-disc shape analysis in a prescribed arrangement is associated as the output layout.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the operation mode is a macular-degeneration examination mode for performing macular-degeneration examinations, and   in the operation mode information, in relation to the macular-degeneration examination mode: a macula fixation direction for irradiating the macula and the surrounding area with the signal light is associated as the fixation direction; a three-dimensional scan that sequentially irradiates the signal light on a plurality of irradiation positions arranged in the form of lattice points is associated as the scanning pattern; a three-dimensional image of the macula and the surrounding area is associated as the image type; a retinal thickness analysis that obtains the retinal thickness and compares it with a prescribed standard thickness, and a drusen analysis that obtains the distribution of drusen are associated as the analytic processing; a tomographic image, the results of the retinal thickness analysis, and the results of the drusen analysis are associated as the information type; and a macular-degeneration diagnosis template that arranges the tomographic image, the results of the retinal thickness analysis, and the results of the drusen analysis in a prescribed arrangement is associated as the output layout.   
     
     
         10 . A method of controlling an ophthalmic observation apparatus that comprises: an optical system for executing optical coherence tomography; an image forming means configured to form an image of an eye based on data obtained by the optical system; an analysis means configured to analyze the image formed by the image forming means; an output means configured to output examination-results information including image analysis results by the analysis means; and an input means that inputs patient identification information, comprising:
 a first storing step of storing operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with operational details of at least one of the optical system, the image forming means, the analysis means and the output means, and with operational-change information representing changes in the operational details;   an identifying step of identifying the operational details associated with the operation mode by referring to the stored operation mode information;   a controlling step of controlling at least one of the optical system, the image forming means, the analysis means and the output means based on the identified operational details;   a second storing step of storing, if an abnormality is present in analysis results obtained by the analysis means, abnormal-presence information indicating as such together with the patient identification information input by the input means;   a retrieving step of retrieving, when patient identification information is newly input by the input means, abnormal-presence information stored together with this patient identification information in the past; and   a changing step of changing, if such abnormal-presence information is retrieved, the operational details of the operation mode based on the operational-change information, wherein   in the controlling step, at least one of the optical system, the image forming means, the analysis means, and the output means is controlled based on the operational details that has been changed in the changing step.   
     
     
         11 . An ophthalmic observation apparatus comprising:
 an optical system that divides light output from a light source unit into signal light and reference light, overlaps the signal light that has passed through an eye and the reference light that has passed through a reference light path, and generates and detects interference light;   an image forming means that forms an image of the eye based on the detection results of the interference light by the optical system;   an analysis means that is capable of, regarding the formed image, executing a plurality of sets of analytic processing, including at least one of layer-thickness analysis that obtains the thickness of a prescribed layer of the eye and lesion identification analysis that identifies the position of a lesion in the eye;   a storage means that preliminarily stores operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with the operational details of at least the analysis means; and   a control means that refers to the operation mode information to identify the operational details associated with the operation mode, and controls at least the analysis means based on the identified operational details.   
     
     
         12 . An ophthalmic observation apparatus comprising:
 an optical system that divides light output from a light source unit into signal light and reference light, overlaps the signal light that has passed through an eye and the reference light that has passed through a reference light path, and generates and detects interference light;   an image forming means that forms an image of the eye based on the detection results of the interference light by the optical system;   an analysis means that analyzes the formed image;   an output means that outputs examination-results information including the image analysis results by the analysis means;   a storage means that preliminarily stores operation mode information in which an operation mode is associated with information types included in the examination-results information and an output layout of the examination-results information by the output means; and   a control means that refers to the operation mode information to identify the information types and the output layout associated with the operation mode, and controls the output means to arrange and output the examination-results information including the identified information types in the identified output layout.