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Decoding the Role of Pigmentation in Fundus Image Analyses using AI 👁️🤖

Dennis Bontempi

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Vasculature

Optic Disk

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AI 🤖

Segmentation of arteries and veins

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Segmentation of arteries and veins

Bifurcations

Tortuosity

Extraction of different vascular features

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Genome-wide Association Studies

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Disease Association & Mortality/Disease Prediction

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Pigmentation

… Depends on age,

ethnicity, diseases…

(maybe even sex)

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Pigmentation

… But it’s never �considered in studies!

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Machine Learning Derived Retinal Pigment Score

Rajesh, A.E., Olvera-Barrios, A., Warwick, A.N. et al.

Machine learning derived retinal pigment score from ophthalmic imaging shows ethnicity is not biology (Nature Communications, 2025)

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Machine Learning Derived Retinal Pigment Score

Rajesh, A.E., Olvera-Barrios, A., Warwick, A.N. et al.

Machine learning derived retinal pigment score from ophthalmic imaging shows ethnicity is not biology (Nature Communications, 2025)

AI & ML 🤖

Retinal Pigment Score

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Machine Learning Derived Retinal Pigment Score

Rajesh, A.E., Olvera-Barrios, A., Warwick, A.N. et al.

Machine learning derived retinal pigment score from ophthalmic imaging shows ethnicity is not biology (Nature Communications, 2025)

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What is the Retinal Pigment Score ACTUALLY Associated with

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What is the Retinal Pigment Score ACTUALLY Associated with

Retinal Pigment score extraction pipeline

Retinal Pigment Score

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What is the Retinal Pigment Score ACTUALLY Associated with

Retinal Pigment score extraction pipeline

Retinal Pigment Score

Demographics & Diseases

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What is the Retinal Pigment Score ACTUALLY Associated with

Retinal Pigment score extraction pipeline

Retinal Pigment Score

Demographics & Diseases

Test Associations

(potentially for different groups)

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What is the Retinal Pigment Score ACTUALLY Associated with

Retinal Pigment score extraction pipeline

Retinal Pigment Score

Demographics & Diseases

Test Associations

(potentially for different groups)