Joseph Ho

Assessment of artifacts and reproducibility across spectral- and time-domain optical coherence tomography devices.

PURPOSE To report the frequency of optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan artifacts and to compare macular thickness measurements, interscan reproducibility, and interdevice agreeability across 3 spectral-domain (SD) OCT (also known as Fourier domain; Cirrus HD-OCT, RTVue-100, and Topcon 3D-OCT 1000) devices and 1 time-domain (TD) OCT (Stratus OCT) device. DESIGN Prospective, noncomparative, noninterventional case series. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-two patients seen at the New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center Retina Service, between February and August 2008. METHODS Two scans were performed for each of the SD OCT protocols: Cirrus macular cube 512 x 128 (software version 3.0; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA), RTVue (E)MM5 and MM6 (software version 3.5; Optovue, Inc., Fremont, CA), Topcon 3D Macular and Radial (software version 2.12; Topcon, Inc., Paramus, NJ), in addition to 1 TD OCT scan via Stratus macular thickness protocol (software version 4.0; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.). Scans were inspected for 6 types of OCT scan artifacts and were analyzed. Interscan reproducibility and interdevice agreeability were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Optical coherence tomography image artifacts, macular thickness, reproducibility, and agreeability. RESULTS Time-domain OCT scans contained a significantly higher percentage of clinically significant improper central foveal thickness (IFT) after manual correction (11-mum change or more) compared with SD OCT scans. Cirrus HD-OCT had a significantly lower percentage of clinically significant IFT (11.1%) compared with the other SD OCT devices (Topcon 3D, 20.4%; Topcon Radial, 29.6%; RTVue (E)MM5, 42.6%; RTVue MM6, 24.1%; P = 0.001). All 3 SD OCT devices had central foveal subfield thicknesses that were significantly more than that of TD OCT after manual correction (P<0.0001). All 3 SD OCT devices demonstrated a high degree of reproducibility in the central foveal region (ICCs, 0.92-0.97). Bland-Altman plots showed low agreeability between TD and SD OCT scans. CONCLUSIONS Out of all OCT devices analyzed, cirrus HD-OCT scans exhibited the lowest occurrence of any artifacts (68.5%), IFT (40.7%), and clinically significant IFT (11.1%), whereas Stratus OCT scans exhibited the highest occurrence of clinically significant IFT. Further work on improving segmentation algorithm to decrease artifacts is warranted.

Three-dimensional ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography imaging of age-related macular degeneration

Ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) enhances the ability to visualize different intra retinal layers. In age-related macular degeneration (AMD), pathological changes in individual retinal layers, including photoreceptor inner and outer segments and retinal pigment epithelium, can be detected. OCT using spectral / Fourier domain detection enables high speed, volumetric imaging of the macula, which provides comprehensive three-dimensional tomographic and morphologic information. We present a case series of AMD patients, from mild drusen to more advanced geographic atrophy and exudative AMD. Patients were imaged with a research prototype, ultrahigh resolution spectral / Fourier domain OCT instrument with 3.5 microm axial image resolution operating at 25,000 axial scans per second. These cases provide representative volumetric datasets of well-documented AMD pathologies which could be used for the development of visualization and imaging processing methods and algorithms.

Clinical Assessment of Mirror Artifacts in Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE. To investigate the characteristics of a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) image phenomenon known as the mirror artifact, calculate its prevalence, analyze potential risk factors, measure severity, and correlate it to spherical equivalent and central visual acuity (VA). METHODS. OCT macular cube 512 x 128 scans taken between January 2008 and February 2009 at the New England Eye Center were analyzed for the presence of mirror artifacts. Artifact severity was determined by the degree of segmentation breakdown that it caused on the macular map. A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of patients with artifacts and of a random control group without artifacts. RESULTS. Of 1592 patients, 9.3% (148 patients, 200 eyes) had scans that contained mirror artifacts. A significantly more myopic spherical equivalent (P < 0.001), worse VA (P < 0.001), longer axial lengths (P = 0.004), and higher proportions of moderate to high myopia (P < 0.001) were found in patients with mirror artifacts than in patients without artifacts. Worse VA was associated with increased artifact severity (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS. In all scans analyzed, a high prevalence of mirror artifacts was found. This image artifact was often associated with patients with moderate to high myopia. Improvements in instrumentation may be necessary to resolve this problem in moderately and highly myopic eyes. Operators should be advised to properly position the retina when scanning eyes. In cases in which peripheral abnormalities in topographic measurements of retinal thickness are found, corresponding OCT scans should be examined for the presence of mirror artifacts.

Shorter Scleral Spur in Eyes With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

PURPOSE We determined whether the scleral spur is shorter in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes compared to age-matched normal eyes and whether the collapse of Schlemms canal (SC) is more prevalent in eyes with a shorter scleral spur. METHODS The anterior segments of normal (n = 20) and POAG eyes (n = 20) were fixed and processed for light microscopy. The scleral spur length, ratio of posterior trabecular meshwork (TM) insertion into the scleral spur to the posterior TM height, and the percentage of SC collapse were measured. Analysis using an existing mathematical model was conducted to estimate the distances that the scleral spur theoretically would move in vivo and to determine if these distances would be sufficient to keep SC open in POAG compared to normal eyes. RESULTS The mean scleral spur length was significantly shorter in POAG eyes compared to normal eyes (P < 0.0001). A higher mean percentage of SC collapse was found in POAG eyes than in normal eyes (P < 0.0001). Estimated posterior movement of scleral spur in POAG eyes was less than sufficient to prevent the collapse of SC. A significant negative correlation was found between the posterior scleral spur movement and percent collapse of SC (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A shorter scleral spur found in POAG eyes was associated with a higher percent of SC collapse. Our data suggest that a shorter scleral spur may be a risk factor in the development of POAG by being insufficient to hold SC open.

Ganglion Cell Complex Loss in Chiasmal Compression by Brain Tumors

Background: Patterns of ganglion cell complex (GCC) loss detected by optical coherence tomography provide an objective measure of optic nerve injury. These patterns aid in early diagnosis and localization of chiasmal lesions. Methods: Twenty-three patients with chiasmal compression seen between 2010 and 2015 were imaged with the Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography macular cube 512 × 128, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scan protocols and automated (30-2 Humphrey) visual fields (VFs). Age-matched controls were included for comparison. Generalized estimating equations were performed comparing RNFL and GCC thicknesses between patients and their controls. Effect size (d) was calculated to assess the magnitude of difference between patients and controls. The average GCC and RNFL thicknesses also were correlated with VF mean deviation (MD). Pre operative average GCC thickness was correlated to post operative VF MD. Results: Patterns of GCC thinning corresponded to VF defects. The average GCC thickness was 67 ± 9 &mgr;m in patients and 86 ± 5 &mgr;m in controls (P < 0.001). The effect size was the greatest for GCC thickness (d = 2.72). The mean deviation was better correlated with GCC thickness (r2 =0.25) than RNFL thicknesses (r2 =0.15). Postoperatively, VF MD improved in 7 of 8 patients with persistent nasal GCC thinning. Six patients had no VF defect and showed statistically significant loss of GCC compared with controls (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Distinct patterns of GCC loss were identified in patients with chiasmal compression. Binasal GCC loss was typical and could be seen with minimal or no detectable VF loss. Thinning of the GCC may be detected before loss of the RNFL in some patients. After decompression, the majority of patients showed improvement in VF despite persistent GCC loss. Patients with less GCC loss before decompression had better postoperative VFs. Therefore, GCC analysis may be an objective method to diagnose and follow patients with chiasmal lesions.

Agreement and reproducibility of retinal pigment epithelial detachment volumetric measurements through optical coherence tomography.

Purpose: To assess the agreement and reproducibility of retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) volumetric measurements using a commercially available optical coherence tomography software available for the Zeiss Cirrus HD-OCT. Methods: Twelve eyes of 10 patients with a diagnosis of neovascular age-related macular degeneration with RPED, seen at the New England Eye Center between October 2012 and December 2012, were enrolled in the study. Three separate scans per affected eye were obtained using the “Macular Cube 512 × 128” protocol. “Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) elevation analysis” software was used to measure RPED volumes in the central 3-mm and 5-mm circles by calculating the volume between the “RPE fit” and “true RPE” lines. All 128 raster scans for each eye were exported into the AMIRA software for manual segmentation of RPED volumes in the central 3-mm and 5-mm circles. Interscan reproducibility and manual-to-automated agreement were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient. Incidence of automated segmentation line error for both RPE fit and true RPE lines in the central 1 mm region was calculated. Results: Average RPED volumes through automated segmentation software were 0.14 mm3 and 0.21 mm3 in the central 3-mm and 5-mm circles, respectively. Manual segmentation yielded average RPED volumes of 0.50 mm3 in the 3-mm circles and 0.92 mm3 in the 5-mm circles. Manual segmentation yielded significantly greater RPED volumes compared with automated measurements (P < 0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficients across the 3 automated measurements were 0.954 and 0.983 for volume in the 3-mm and 5-mm circles, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients between the manual and automatic volumes were 0.296 and 0.337 for the 3-mm and 5-mm circles, respectively. In the central 1 mm region, 11 of the 12 scans had breakdown in RPE fit line, whereas 8 of the 12 scans showed true RPE line breakdown. Conclusion: Automated “RPED elevation” software demonstrated high interscan reproducibility. However, it showed low agreement with manual measurements from high rates of segmentation line breakdown, especially at the level of the RPE fit line (91.7%). Manual measurements resulted in greater volumes compared with automated measurements.

Application of Optical Coherence Tomography in Neuro-Ophthalmic Disorders

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an evolving technology, developed in the 1990s to provide noninvasive imaging of tissues. Using low-coherence light and ultra-short laser pulses, it generates cross-sectional images of biologic structures with great detail. OCT has become valuable in medicine, especially in ophthalmology. This technology allows the detection of early or subtle pathology and provides a critical tool in the diagnosis and management of ocular diseases. OCT is routinely used in the fields of retina and glaucoma, and now has become more popular in neuro-ophthalmology. In this chapter the role of OCT technology, its limitations, and use in the differentiation of optic nerve disorders from retinal disorders will be discussed. Its potential role in the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease will also be highlighted.

Using ranibizumab to successfully treat choroidal neovascularization in a patient with persistent placoid maculopathy.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to report the successful treatment of persistent placoid maculopathy with intravitreal ranibizumab. METHODS A 60-year-old man with an 8-year history of blurry vision was diagnosed with bilateral persistent placoid maculopathy complicated by a choroidal neovascular membrane. The left eye received two laser photocoagulation treatments. The right eye was injected twice with intravitreal bevacizumab and then 3 times with intravitreal ranibizumab over the course of 1 year. RESULTS Visual acuity in the left eye dropped from 20/30 to 20/100 despite gradual resolution of fluid. However, visual acuity in the right eye improved from 20/50 to 20/25 where it remained for 24 months after the last injection. CONCLUSION Ranibizumab seems to be efficacious in the treatment of choroidal neo-vascularization in persistent placoid maculopathy.