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Research Article: A lightweight DeepME model based on improved YOLOv11 architecture for macular edema detection and treatment monitoring

Date Published: 2026-07-03

Abstract:
We developed and validated an improved YOLOv11-based deep learning algorithm for accurate macular edema detection in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, and built DeepME—a lightweight system for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. We compiled a comprehensive dataset combining hospital clinical data and public OCT resources, covering macular edema and other retinal diseases. External validation used an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) cohort of 336 eyes from 300 patients with diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion. The improved YOLOv11n integrated the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to enhance feature extraction. DeepME combined this detector with an optimized DeepSeek model, current clinical guidelines, and expert knowledge. DeepME achieved better performance over standard YOLOv11: accuracy 0.980, specificity 0.990, sensitivity 0.970, precision 0.990, F1-score 0.980, and AUC 0.9993. Grad-CAM visualizations confirmed precise localization of cystoid macular edema within anatomically correct retinal layers. In the anti-VEGF cohort, central foveal thickness decreased significantly at one-month follow-up (p < 0.001), and DeepME showed substantial agreement with manual grading (p < 0.001), enabling rapid, accurate diagnosis and treatment guidance. This study introduces DeepME, a novel clinical decision support system that integrates an improved YOLOv11 detection architecture for comprehensive macular edema management. DeepME delivers high accuracy in evaluating anti-VEGF treatment response and shows strong potential for real-world clinical decision support.

Introduction:
Macular edema (ME) frequently occurs as a complication of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Diabetic macular edema (DME), which arises from microvascular leakage in DR, is the leading cause of vision impairment in diabetic patients ( 1 , 2 ). Globally, approximately 21 million individuals are affected by DME, with a prevalence rate ranging from 5.5% to 7.4% ( 3 ). Studies have demonstrated that among 22,896 diabetic patients, 10.2% exhibited DR, and 6.81% had DME. RVO ranks as the second…

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