Choroidal Vascularity Index Using Swept-Source and Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography: A Comparative Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Imaging

Background:

• Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) is a noninvasive method to evaluate choroidal structure.
• Assessing choroidal vascularity is crucial for understanding various ocular conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) measurements obtained from swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
• To evaluate the reliability and agreement between CVI measurements from SS-OCT and SD-OCT using a consistent binarization protocol.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 54 healthy volunteers.
• Choroidal scans acquired using both SS-OCT and SD-OCT devices.
• Automated binarization algorithm applied to compute CVI for both OCT types.

Main Results:

• Mean CVI values were 53.88% ± 12.54% for SS-OCT and 51.11% ± 7.97% for SD-OCT (P < .001).
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated moderate-to-good reliability between the two devices.
• A conversion factor range was established for inter-device CVI comparison.

Conclusions:

• Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) is a robust and reliable measure.
• CVI measurements from SS-OCT and SD-OCT concur, demonstrating good agreement.
• These findings support the use of both SS-OCT and SD-OCT for CVI assessment in clinical practice.