The Lions Eye Institute (LEI) has become the first site in Australia to install the BMizar 400kHz next-generation imaging system, with the advanced retinal imaging platform commissioned in February this year.
The device combines high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) with ultra-widefield (UWF) OCT angiography (OCTA), enabling clinicians to capture detailed retinal and choroidal images in seconds.
Developed by TowardPi Medical Technology and distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Spectrum Surgical, the BMizar system delivers scan speeds of 400,000 A-scans per second and supports UWF OCTA imaging up to 24 mm × 20 mm, alongside 3D retinal visualisation and quantitative analysis tools. The platform is designed to provide clinicians with faster, non-invasive imaging, reducing the need for traditional dye-based angiography in some patients.
Retinal specialist with LEI, Associate Professor Fred Chen, said the system’s ultra-widefield imaging capability and ease of use were major factors in LEI’s decision to acquire the device.
The technology is already helping clinicians reduce reliance on fluorescein angiography, particularly for diabetic patients requiring assessment of retinal non-perfusion.
“The ability to capture video clips, which enables patients with nystagmus or very young children to have OCT, is very important for us,” he said. “For children, I was able to take video clips to be able to find a few slices through the fovea without any difficulty.”
Assoc Prof Chen described the BMizar as “a new generation of OCTA device”, noting that the technology had already delivered significant workflow and clinical advantages, particularly in retinal disease management.
Among the features that have impressed LEI clinicians most are the UWF montage imaging and the ability to visualise retinal structures through gas-filled eyes following macular hole surgery. Assoc Prof Chen also highlighted the system’s usefulness in paediatric imaging and diabetic eye disease assessment.
The technology is already helping clinicians reduce reliance on fluorescein angiography, particularly for diabetic patients requiring assessment of retinal non-perfusion.
“I could determine when a patient needs PRP (panretinal photocoagulation) easier and quicker without exposing them to fluorescein dye,” Assoc Prof Chen said. “One patient was allergic [to] fluorescein and never had a dye test since the allergy. This is the first time I could assess the degree of non-perfusion.”
Consultant ophthalmologist at LEI, Professor Ian McAllister, said the system’s intuitive software, rapid image capture and ultra-wide-angle imaging capabilities had been standout features since installation.
“I am now doing a lot on patients with diabetes, both with and without previous PDR (proliferative diabetic retinopathy), treated with PRP who get small vitreous haemorrhages to see where additional CNP (capillary non-perfusion) is,” he said. “It’s easy, quick and non-invasive to do with no risk of allergic reactions to the dye.”
The BMizar platform also includes advanced quantitative analysis tools for blood flow density, glaucoma assessment, choroidal imaging, and anterior segment analysis.