Digital Retinal Images and Teleophthalmology for Detecting and Grading Diabetic Retinopathy

Digital Retinal Images and Teleophthalmology for Detecting and Grading Diabetic Retinopathy Francisco Gómez-Ulla , MD 1 , Maria I. Fernandez , MD 1 , Francisco Gonzalez , MD 1 2 , Pablo Rey , PHD 3 , Marta Rodriguez , MD 4 , Maria J. Rodriguez-Cid , MD 1 , Felipe F. Casanueva , MD 5 , Maria A. Tome , MD 5 , Javier Garcia-Tobio , MD 3 and Francisco Gude , MD 6 1 Ocular Diabetes and Medical Retina Unit, Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela and Complejo Hospitalario, Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain 2 Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela and Complejo Hospitalario, Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain 3 Supercomputation Center of Galicia (CESGA), Santiago de Compostela, Spain 4 Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Meixoeiro, Vigo, Spain 5 Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela and Complejo Hospitalario, Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain 6 Clinical Epidemiology Unit, School of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela and Complejo Hospitalario, Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain Abstract OBJECTIVE —Detecting and grading of diabetic retinopathy (DR) by means of digital retinal images sent via the Internet. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Four nonstereoscopic digital retinal images (45° field each) of 126 eye fundus images from 70 diabetic patients were obtained with a nonmydriatic camera at two peripheral units. The images were sent via the Internet using a web-based system to a reference center, where they were diagnosed and graded by one ophthalmologist. These results were compared with those obtained by two other ophthalmologists, one at each peripheral unit, after direct examination of the patients. A modified severity scale of Airlie House was used for grading DR in all cases. Agreement between observers was assessed using unweighted κ for categorical data and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous data. RESULTS —Presence of DR was detected in 69 eyes (55%). All eyes with DR (69 of 69, 100%) were correctly identified (κ = 1) by inspecting the digital images. In 118 eyes (118 of 126, 94%), 57 with no DR and 61 with DR, there was an agreement between the gradation made after the direct examination and the gradat