Automatic Estimation of the Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter from Ultrasound Images

Samuel Gerber, Maeliss Jallais, Hastings Greer, Matt McCormick, Sean Montgomery, Bradley Freeman, Deborah Shipley Kane, Deepak Roy Chittajallu, Neal Siekierski, Stephen R. Aylward

Abstract: We present an algorithm to automatically estimate the diameter of the optic nerve sheath from ocular ultrasound images. The optic nerve sheath diameter provides a proxy for measuring intracranial pressure, a life threating condition frequently associated with head trauma. Early treatment of elevated intracranial pressures greatly improves outcomes and drastically reduces the mortality rate. We demonstrate that the proposed algorithm combined with a portable ultrasound device presents a viable path for early detection of elevated intracranial pressure in remote locations and without access to trained medical imaging experts.