Diagnostic A-Scan of Choroidal Melanoma: Automated Quantification of Parameters.
Ocul Oncol Pathol 2019;
5:350-357. [PMID:
31559246 DOI:
10.1159/000496345]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim
To develop an automated algorithm to quantify ultrasonographic A-scan parameters of choroidal melanoma.
Methods
The study included 100 consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of choroidal melanoma. Ultrasonographic A-scans (8 MHz, 1,550 m/s, tissue sensitivity = 67 dB) were performed by standard techniques. We created and then utilized a MATLAB® script to generate four quantifiable A-scan parameters: (1) tumor height (mm), (2) the number of internal reflectivity peaks (numerical value), (3) median internal reflectivity (%), and (4) angle κ (°).
Results
There were small (≤2.5 mm, n = 32), medium (2.6-10.0 mm, n = 53), and large (> 10.0 mm, n = 14) tumors. The mean number of internal reflectivity peaks counted between the two tumor boundary spikes (surface and base) was 10.0 (σ = 8.7, range 1-37). The median value of the internal reflectivity peaks for all cases varied from 19.8 to 99.5 (mean = 68.3, σ = 20.5). A statistically significant correlation was observed between the tumor height categories and each of the three A-scan parameters: the number of internal reflectivity peaks (ρ = 0.90, p < 0.01), median internal reflectivity (ρ = -0.63, p < 0.01), and a positive angle κ (ρ = -0.32, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
An automated algorithm can provide quantifiable A-scan parameters for choroidal melanoma.
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