A Novel Slit Lamp‐Based System for 3D Ultrasound of the Eye

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to develop and evaluate a novel slit-lamp-based system to acquire 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound volumes using conventional ultrasound probes. METHODS: A slit-lamp adapter was 3D printed and connected with a linear actuator and graphical user interface (GUI) system to control movement and create volumes of 2-dimensional scans. The ultrasound probe contacted the patient's cornea to perform the scan. The GUI software was designed to acquire and process b-scan images, which were exported to 3D Slicer and manually annotated. The annotated images were used to render 3D renderings of ophthalmic anatomy using MATLAB and 3D Slicer. RESULTS: The optimal resolution, quality, scan type, and patient comfort were determined through simulations. Higher scan numbers and light contact pressure resulted in sufficient image clarity. Out of 250 completed scans, four 3D ultrasound models were created, depicting diagnoses such as tractional retinal detachment, choroidal hemorrhage, and myopia. These models were compared with traditional imaging methods. CONCLUSIONS: The study successfully created 3D ultrasound scans using a novel slit-lamp-based system and manual annotation. The accuracy of the models was comparable to other imaging forms and demonstrated greater details. This study represents a significant step toward an accessible point-of-care ultrasound system in ophthalmology.