Characterization of outer retinal morphology with high-speed, ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE To visualize, quantitatively assess, and interpret outer retinal morphology by using high-speed, ultrahigh-resolution (UHR) OCT. METHODS Retinal imaging was performed in the ophthalmic clinic in a cross-section of 43 normal subjects with a 3.5-microm, axial-resolution, high-speed, UHR OCT prototype instrument, using a radial scan pattern (24 images, 1500 axial scans). Outer retinal layers were automatically segmented and measured. High-definition imaging was performed with a 2.8-microm axial-resolution, high-speed, UHR OCT research prototype instrument, to visualize the finer features in the outer retina. RESULTS Quantitative maps of outer retinal layers showed clear differences between the cone-dominated fovea and the rod-dominated parafovea and perifovea, indicating that photoreceptor morphology can explain the appearance of the outer retina in high-speed, UHR OCT images. Finer, scattering bands were visualized in the outer retina using high-definition imaging and were interpreted by comparison to known anatomy. CONCLUSIONS High-speed UHR OCT enables quantification of scattering layers in the outer retina. An interpretation of these features is presented and supported by quantitative measurements in normal subjects and comparison with known anatomy. The thick scattering region of the outer retina previously attributed to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is shown to consist of distinct scattering bands corresponding to the photoreceptor outer segment tips, RPE, and Bruch's membrane. These results may advance understanding of the outer retinal appearance in OCT images. The normative measurements may also aid in future investigations of outer retinal changes in age-related macular degeneration and other diseases.

[1]  John W. Dolan,et al.  Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis , 2010 .

[2]  T. Yatagai,et al.  Three-dimensional imaging of macular holes with high-speed optical coherence tomography. , 2007, Ophthalmology.

[3]  Wolfgang Drexler,et al.  Ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography assessment of photoreceptors in retinitis pigmentosa and related diseases. , 2006, American journal of ophthalmology.

[4]  Maciej Wojtkowski,et al.  High-definition and 3-dimensional imaging of macular pathologies with high-speed ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography. , 2006, Ophthalmology.

[5]  Steven M. Jones,et al.  High-speed volumetric imaging of cone photoreceptors with adaptive optics spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. , 2006, Optics express.

[6]  B. Dolan Optical Coherence Tomography of Ocular Diseases, 2nd ed , 2005 .

[7]  Wolfgang Drexler,et al.  Comparison of ultrahigh- and standard-resolution optical coherence tomography for imaging macular pathology. , 2005, Ophthalmology.

[8]  U. Schmidt-Erfurth,et al.  Three-dimensional ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography of macular diseases. , 2005, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[9]  Hiroshi Ishikawa,et al.  Macular segmentation with optical coherence tomography. , 2005, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[10]  L. A. Paunescu,et al.  Ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography in glaucoma. , 2005, Ophthalmology.

[11]  William E Smiddy,et al.  Photoreceptor layer features in eyes with closed macular holes: optical coherence tomography findings and correlation with visual outcomes. , 2005, American journal of ophthalmology.

[12]  Shuliang Jiao,et al.  Simultaneous acquisition of sectional and fundus ophthalmic images with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. , 2005, Optics express.

[13]  J. Duker,et al.  Comparison of ultrahigh- and standard-resolution optical coherence tomography for imaging macular hole pathology and repair. , 2004, Ophthalmology.

[14]  Maciej Wojtkowski,et al.  Ophthalmic imaging by spectral optical coherence tomography. , 2004, American journal of ophthalmology.

[15]  Angelika Unterhuber,et al.  Ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography of the monkey fovea. Identification of retinal sublayers by correlation with semithin histology sections. , 2004, Experimental eye research.

[16]  Teresa C. Chen,et al.  Ultrahigh-resolution high-speed retinal imaging using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. , 2004, Optics express.

[17]  J. Duker,et al.  Ultrahigh-resolution, high-speed, Fourier domain optical coherence tomography and methods for dispersion compensation. , 2004, Optics express.

[18]  W Drexler,et al.  Ultrahigh resolution Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. , 2004, Optics express.

[19]  B. Bouma,et al.  Improved signal-to-noise ratio in spectral-domain compared with time-domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics letters.

[20]  Qienyuan Zhou,et al.  Three-dimensional imaging of the human retina by high-speed optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics express.

[21]  Changhuei Yang,et al.  Sensitivity advantage of swept source and Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics express.

[22]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Enhanced visualization of macular pathology with the use of ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Archives of ophthalmology.

[23]  A. Fercher,et al.  Performance of fourier domain vs. time domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics express.

[24]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Histologic correlation of pig retina radial stratification with ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[25]  Cynthia Owsley,et al.  Photoreceptor degeneration and dysfunction in aging and age-related maculopathy , 2002, Ageing Research Reviews.

[26]  Renu Tripathi,et al.  Spectral shaping for non-Gaussian source spectra in optical coherence tomography. , 2002, Optics letters.

[27]  Kim L. Boyer,et al.  Retinal thickness measurements from optical coherence tomography using a Markov boundary model , 2001, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[28]  C Owsley,et al.  Spare the rods, save the cones in aging and age-related maculopathy. , 2000, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[29]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  In vivo ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography. , 1999, Optics letters.

[30]  A. Fercher,et al.  Measurement of intraocular distances by backscattering spectral interferometry , 1995 .

[31]  J. Duker,et al.  Imaging of macular diseases with optical coherence tomography. , 1995, Ophthalmology.

[32]  C. Curcio,et al.  Aging of the human photoreceptor mosaic: evidence for selective vulnerability of rods in central retina. , 1993, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[33]  A. Hendrickson,et al.  The development of parafoveal and mid-peripheral human retina , 1992, Behavioural Brain Research.

[34]  A. Hendrickson,et al.  Human photoreceptor topography , 1990, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[35]  A. Hendrickson,et al.  Photoreceptor topography of the retina in the adult pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina) , 1989, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[36]  A. Hendrickson,et al.  A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the human fovea during development , 1986, Vision Research.

[37]  G. Ravera,et al.  The foveal photoreceptor layer and visual acuity loss in central serous chorioretinopathy. , 2005, American journal of ophthalmology.

[38]  Angelika Unterhuber,et al.  Assessment of central visual function in Stargardt's disease/fundus flavimaculatus with ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography. , 2005, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[39]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Ultrahigh-resolution ophthalmic optical coherence tomography , 2001, Nature Medicine.

[40]  M. Zarbin,et al.  Morphologic preservation and variability of human donor retina. , 2000, Current eye research.

[41]  G. Ha Usler,et al.  "Coherence radar" and "spectral radar"-new tools for dermatological diagnosis. , 1998, Journal of biomedical optics.

[42]  G. Ripandelli,et al.  Optical coherence tomography. , 1998, Seminars in ophthalmology.