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Directional Optical Coherence Tomography Reveals Reliable Outer Nuclear Layer Measurements
Kevin K Tong1, Brandon J Lujan, Yixiu Zhou
1*OD †MD ‡PhD §OD, FAAO School of Optometry (KKT, MCL), Vision Science Program (BJL, MCL), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley; West Coast Retina Medical Group (BJL), San Francisco; and Clinical Research Center (YZ, MCL), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California.
Summary
Directional Optical Coherence Tomography (D-OCT) provides repeatable and reproducible measurements of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness in healthy eyes. This finding supports D-OCT
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Retinal Imaging
Background:
- Directional Optical Coherence Tomography (D-OCT) enables in vivo optical segmentation of the outer nuclear layer (ONL).
- Accurate ONL thickness measurement is crucial for monitoring retinal diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the repeatability and reproducibility of D-OCT for measuring ONL thickness in healthy eyes.
- To establish baseline variability metrics for future clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- 16 healthy eyes were imaged using Cirrus SD-OCT with varied beam entry positions.
- Two observers performed segmentation and thickness quantification at baseline and 1-month follow-up.
- Inter-observer, intra-observer, and inter-visit variability were analyzed using Bland-Altman and coefficient of variation.
Main Results:
- D-OCT successfully imaged and segmented all eyes.
- Maximum mean inter-operator difference was 2.6 (4.8) μm; intra-operator difference was 2.4 (5.3) μm.
- No significant difference in ONL measurements between baseline and follow-up (p > 0.05).
- Coefficient of variance (CV%) ranged from 6.9% to 10.1%, with most variability originating from between-subject factors.
Conclusions:
- D-OCT measurements of ONL thickness demonstrate good repeatability and reproducibility.
- Understanding D-OCT variability in healthy eyes aids in developing clinical studies for macular pathology.
- This technique is valuable for quantitatively tracking retinal disease progression.
