Title :
Ocular Biometric Measurements to Diagnose Neurological Disorders Due to Wilson Disease
Author :
Morello, R. ; De Capua, C. ; Fabbiano, L. ; Vacca, G. ; Luiso, Mario
Author_Institution :
Dept. DIIES, Univ. Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, Reggio Calabria, Italy
Abstract :
Wilson disease is a pathology because of a gene mutation causing malfunction in the copper excretion from the organism. Therefore, copper accumulation in the body gives rise to oxidative processes. Hence, this rare disease causes several disorders affecting tissues and organs. Neurological disorders lead to copper accumulation in the brain. Approximately 95% of individuals with neurological/psychiatric disorders show a visible symptom in their eyes known as Kayser-Fleischer ring. It is a golden-brown, sometimes orange or greyish, ring because of copper deposit in the cornea. In the medical screening, it is considered as a diagnostic sign of Wilson disease more than ever in individuals with neurological problems. The authors propose an innovative technique based on ocular biometric measurements to diagnose the pathology and the origin of a neurological disorder. An image processing algorithm detects the Kayser-Fleischer ring in the eye cornea through segmentation. Subsequently, biometric measurements provide further information on the severity level of pathology. The aim is to provide a non-invasive diagnostic technique to improve the accuracy of the current methods used in practice and to reduce the possible interpretation errors.
Keywords :
biological organs; biological tissues; copper; diseases; eye; genetics; image segmentation; medical disorders; medical image processing; neurophysiology; oxidation; psychology; vision; Kayser-Fleischer ring; Wilson disease; brain; copper accumulation; copper deposit; copper excretion; eye cornea; gene mutation; image processing algorithm; interpretation errors; malfunction; medical screening; neurological disorder diagnosis; noninvasive diagnostic technique; ocular biometric measurements; oxidative processes; pathology; pathology severity level; psychiatric disorders; segmentation; visible symptom; Kayser-Fleischer ring; Neurological disorders; Wilson´s disease; biometric measurements; brain; eye; image processing;
Journal_Title :
Sensors Journal, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/JSEN.2013.2268689