Correlation Between Corneal Topographic, Densitometry, and Biomechanical Parameters in Keratoconus Eyes

To investigate the correlation between corneal densitometry, corneal topographic parameters, and corneal biomechanical properties in keratoconus.

A total of 76 eyes of 76 keratoconus patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Corneal densitometry and topography were measured using Pentacam HR. Corneal biomechanical properties were measured using CorVis ST.

The corneal densitometry values of the anterior 0 to 2 and 2 to 6 mm layers significantly correlated with the maximum keratometry values (R = 0.373, P = 0.001 and R = 0.276, P = 0.016, respectively), thinnest corneal thickness values (R = -0.331, P = 0.003 and R = -0.234, P = 0.042, respectively), anterior corneal elevation (R = 0.392, P < 0.001 and R = 0.323, P = 0.004, respectively), and posterior corneal elevation (R = 0.450, P < 0.001 and R = 0.367, P = 0.001, respectively). The stiffness parameter-applanation time 1 (SP-A1) significantly correlated with the corneal densitometry values for the anterior 0 to 2 mm (R = -0.397, P < 0.001), anterior 2 to 6 mm (R = -0.331, P = 0.004), central 0 to 2 mm (R = -0.306, P = 0.007), central 2 to 6 mm (R = -0.228, P = 0.048), posterior 2 to 6 mm (R = -0.243, P = 0.035), total 0 to 2 mm (R = -0.291, P = 0.011), and total 2 to 6 mm (R = -0.295, P = 0.010) layers.

The corneal densitometry values correlated with the severity of keratoconus and the SP-A1 values.

Corneal densitometry values may serve as markers to predict the severity of keratoconus.