Integrating Deep Learning with Fundus and Optical Coherence Tomography for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction

TL;DR

This study develops a novel deep learning model combining fundus and OCT retinal images to predict future cardiovascular disease risk, demonstrating promising accuracy and potential for large-scale, non-invasive screening.

Contribution

Introduces a Multi-channel Variational Autoencoder network that integrates fundus and OCT images for improved CVD risk prediction, a novel approach in this domain.

Findings

Achieved AUROC of 0.78 in CVD risk prediction

Demonstrated efficacy of retinal imaging for non-invasive CVD screening

Model shows potential for large-scale preventive healthcare

Abstract

Early identification of patients at risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is crucial for effective preventive care, reducing healthcare burden, and improving patients' quality of life. This study demonstrates the potential of retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging combined with fundus photographs for identifying future adverse cardiac events. We used data from 977 patients who experienced CVD within a 5-year interval post-image acquisition, alongside 1,877 control participants without CVD, totaling 2,854 subjects. We propose a novel binary classification network based on a Multi-channel Variational Autoencoder (MCVAE), which learns a latent embedding of patients' fundus and OCT images to classify individuals into two groups: those likely to develop CVD in the future and those who are not. Our model, trained on both imaging modalities, achieved promising results (AUROC 0.78 +/- 0.02, accuracy 0.68 +/- 0.002, precision 0.74 +/- 0.02, sensitivity 0.73 +/- 0.02, and specificity 0.68 +/- 0.01), demonstrating its efficacy in identifying patients at risk of future CVD events based on their retinal images. This study highlights the potential of retinal OCT imaging and fundus photographs as cost-effective, non-invasive alternatives for predicting cardiovascular disease risk. The widespread availability of these imaging techniques in optometry practices and hospitals further enhances their potential for large-scale CVD risk screening. Our findings contribute to the development of standardized, accessible methods for early CVD risk identification, potentially improving preventive care strategies and patient outcomes.