The University of Western Australia has awarded a doctor of philosophy to Counties Manukau ophthalmologist Dr Anmar Abdul-Rahman for his “invaluable contribution to medical science”, including developing an artificial intelligence (AI) model to non-invasively predict intracranial pressure (ICP).
Dr Abdul-Rahman’s thesis, ‘Retinal vascular pulse wave analysis in the fourier domain,’ investigated the intricate geometry linking the retinal vascular pulse with intraocular pressure and ICP. In collaboration with Lions Eye Institute’s Professors William Morgan and Dao-Yi Yu, Dr Abdul-Rahman used videos of the optic nerve (captured using an imaging technique called modified photoplethysmography) and employed an algorithm to extract vascular pulsation data processed in the fourier domain. “This offers a non-invasive alternative to conventional diagnostic methods and holds significant promise for enhancing patient care while reducing the reliance on invasive procedures,” said Dr Abdul-Rahman.
To ensure the reliability and accuracy of the AI model, a robust statistical validation method was introduced using probability density functions, he said. “Using this methodology, clinicians can assess the validity of test results at a case-by-case level rather than relying on global model parameters… enabling predictions of intracranial pressure to be derived from both arterial and venous systems independently.”
Dr Abdul-Rahman said it was a privilege collaborating with Profs Morgan and Yu. “Their collective efforts have played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of retinal vascular pulse dynamics and intracranial pressure interactions.”
