A　fast　and　automated　method　of　the　MF　(macula　fovea)　center　detection　in　retinal　images　is　presented,　which　is　a　prerequisite　for　DR　(diabetic　retinopathy)　screening　project　or　the　computer　aided　diagnosis　of　DME　(diabetic　macular　edema).　The　approach　is　based　on　foregone　anatomical　structures　of　retina　constraints　on　the　relative　locations　and　the　intensity　information　within　the　OD　(optic　disk)　circle　boundary.　Firstly,　OD　circle　boundary　is　obtained　accurately　using　adaptive　thresholding,　morphological　bottom-hat　transform　and　region-based　active　contour　model　techniques.　And　then　the　fovea　region　is　selected　by　analyzing　the　intensity　information　within　the　OD.　Lastly,　MF　center　is　detected　using　mathematical　morphology.　The　public　DRIVE,　HEI-MED　and　DIARETDB1　databases　are　used　to　test　the　performance　of　the　algorithm.　The　MF　center　is　detected　correctly　in　100%　of　the　35　images　cases　in　the　DRIVE　database,　in　98.8%　of　169　images　cases　in　the　HEI-MED　dataset,　and　in　93.3%　of　the　89　cases　in　the　DIARETDB1　database.　It　takes　only　about　12　seconds　for　per　image　because　of　not　relying　on　blood　vessel　segmentation　in　advance,　which　is　the　main　advantage　of　the　presented　approach.　The　experimental　results　show　that　the　method　potentially　should　get　a　better　performance　than　comparable　methods　presented　in　other　literatures.　©　2014　IEEE.