High-throughput Large-model-based AI-assisted Diagnosis Using OCT

This study investigates key technologies for high-throughput, large-model-based AI-assisted diagnosis using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA). OCT/OCTA imaging has become an essential non-invasive tool for detecting and monitoring retinal and optic nerve diseases, yet manual interpretation remains time-consuming, experience-dependent, and limited by inter-observer variability. Recent advances in large artificial intelligence models provide an opportunity to develop scalable, generalizable diagnostic tools that can process large multimodal datasets and support clinical decision-making.

This observational study will enroll patients who undergo routine OCT and/or OCTA examinations at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and who are diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions: diabetic retinopathy, branch retinal vein occlusion, central retinal vein occlusion, age-related macular degeneration, pathologic myopic choroidal neovascularization, or glaucoma with optic nerve damage. The study will include both retrospectively collected and prospectively acquired imaging and clinical data, following standardized quality control and data-management procedures.

The high-throughput diagnostic framework will be trained and validated using large-scale image and clinical datasets. Primary outcomes include diagnostic performance metrics such as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Secondary outcomes include sensitivity, specificity, and lesion-level or structural feature assessment when applicable. No experimental intervention will be introduced, and all imaging and clinical evaluations will follow standard clinical care.

The study aims to produce a robust, clinically relevant benchmark for large-model-based AI systems in OCT/OCTA interpretation and provide technical support for future integration of AI-assisted diagnostic tools into routine ophthalmic practice.

Inclusion criteria

• 1. Patients of any age or sex who undergo OCT and/or OCT angiography (OCTA) examinations as part of routine clinical care at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

• Clinical diagnosis of at least one of the following conditions: Diabetic retinopathy, Branch retinal vein occlusion, Central retinal vein occlusion, Age-related macular degeneration, Pathologic myopia with choroidal neovascularization and Glaucoma with optic nerve damage.

• Imaging quality sufficient for analysis based on predefined OCT/OCTA quality control criteria.

• Ability to provide informed consent (for prospective participants), or availability of medical records that meet institutional ethical requirements (for retrospective data).

Exclusion criteria

• 1. Poor-quality OCT/OCTA images that do not meet analysis standards (e.g., severe motion artifacts, media opacity, incomplete scans).

• Patients unable to cooperate with standard ophthalmic imaging procedures. 3. Any condition judged by investigators to preclude accurate imaging evaluation or reliable diagnostic interpretation.