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Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
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Hyperreflective pyramidal structures on optical coherence tomography in geographic atrophy areas.
Clemence Bonnet1, Giuseppe Querques, Jennyfer Zerbib
1Department of Ophthalmology, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, University Paris Est Creteil, Creteil, France.
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|April 17, 2014
Summary
Hyperreflective pyramidal structures (HPS) were observed in geographic atrophy (GA) areas using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). These distinct lesions, termed "ghost drusen," exhibit unique multimodal imaging features in age-related macular degeneration.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Retinal Diseases
Background:
- Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
- Hyperreflective dome-shaped or pyramidal structures (HPS) have been observed within GA lesions on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the multimodal imaging characteristics of HPS identified in GA areas.
- To characterize these lesions in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of patients with GA and HPS.
- Multimodal imaging including infrared reflectance, fundus autofluorescence, and SD-OCT.
- Analysis of HPS appearance and SD-OCT height.
Main Results:
- 96 HPS in 36 eyes of 25 patients with GA were analyzed.
- HPS showed peripheral hyperreflectivity on SD-OCT; centers were heterogeneously hyperreflective (69%) or hyporeflective (31%).
- HPS appeared as hyporeflective lesions with hyperreflective halos on infrared imaging and showed variable autofluorescence.
Conclusions:
- Distinctive lesions presenting as hyperreflective pyramidal structures on SD-OCT were identified in GA.
- The term "ghost drusen" is proposed for these HPS due to their location in GA and their shape on SD-OCT.
