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Updated: Apr 12, 2026
Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation
Published on: September 18, 2012
Blood flow assessed by color Doppler imaging in retinopathy of prematurity
S Hartenstein1, B Müller2, B Metze1
1Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
Objective:
To quantify central retinal arterial and venous blood flow using ultrasound color Doppler imaging.
Study Design:
In this prospective observational study, eyes of eight preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity stage 2 and of eight preterm infants without retinopathy (gestational age <30 weeks, birth weight <1500 g) were evaluated by color Doppler imaging.
Result:
Ocular blood flow velocities measured at 28±1 days of life did not differ significantly in the eyes of preterm infants who subsequently did and did not develop retinopathy. Development of retinopathy was associated with highly significant (P<0.0001 each) increases in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.99±0.36 to 3.72±0.61 cm s(-1)), central retinal artery systolic flow velocities (from 6.44±1.52 to 9.87±1.99 cm s(-1)) and flow velocity integrals (from 1.27±0.30 to 2.17±0.50 cm) at 64±13 days of life. In infants without retinopathy, no significant changes were observed except for an increase in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.96±0.22 to 2.62±0.44 cm s(-1), P=0.003).
Conclusion:
Retinopathy of prematurity appears to be accompanied by increased retinal blood flow.
