Using a model of the colour content in retinal fundus images to screen for sight threatening diabetic retinopathy

The aim of the study was to assess the potential use of a model of the colour content in retinal fundus images to screen for sight threatening retinopathy in diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is the most frequent cause of blindness in the population of working age in industrialised countries, but efficient therapies do exist, and accurate and early diagnosis, and correct treatment can prevent blindness in more than 50% of all cases. However, up to 50% of cases of type 2 diabetes, which comprises 85-90% of all patients, are undiagnosed, with an average delay of 10 years between the onset of the condition and diagnosis. In an other study we have described how there is a linear relation between age and the colour composition of retinal images from nondiabetic subjects. In the present study this relation was compared to the colour composition of retinal images from diabetes patients. We found that for the patients in the present study there is a significant difference in the colour composition between normal subjects and diabetic subjects with retinopathy. Although the number of patients in our study is too small to allow any conclusion, we suggest that this difference potentially may be used as the basis for a simple screening method for sight threatening retinopathy in unrecognised diabetes, or potentially may help estimating the risk of developing diabetic late complications in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.