Facilitating diabetic retinopathy screening using automated retinal image analysis in underresourced settings

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate an automated retinal image analysis (ARIA) of indigenous retinal fundus images against a human grading comparator for the classification of diabetic retinopathy (DR) status. Methods: Indigenous Australian adults with type 2 diabetes (n = 410) from three remote and very remote primary-care services in the Northern Territory, Australia, underwent teleretinal DR screening. A single, central retinal fundus photograph (opportunistic mydriasis) for each eye was later regraded using a single ARIA and a UK human grader and national DR classification system. The sensitivity and specificity of ARIA were assessed relative to the comparator. Proportionate agreement and a Kappa statistic..