Widefield Swept Source OCTA in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited disorders characterized by progressive vision loss.
• Evaluating microvascular changes in RP is crucial for understanding disease progression and potential treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) perfusion in RP patients.
• To quantify perfusion density (PD) and vessel length density (VLD) in macular and peripheral regions using widefield swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (WSS-OCTA).

Main Methods:

• WSS-OCTA imaging was performed on 12 RP patients (20 eyes) and 20 age-matched controls (20 eyes).
• Quantitative analysis of SCP, DCP, CC, PD, and VLD was conducted in central and peripheral retinal areas.
• Visual acuity, central macular thickness, and microperimetry were measured.

Main Results:

• RP patients exhibited significantly reduced visual acuity, central macular thickness, and microperimetry compared to controls.
• Significantly lower PD and VLD were observed in SCP, DCP, and CC of RP patients in both central and peripheral retina.
• A direct correlation was found between DCP and CC PD in the central retina and microperimetry results.

Conclusions:

• Widefield SS-OCTA reveals significant impairment of retinal and choroidal vascularization in RP patients.
• The reduction in vascular density and flow features in RP correlates with functional macular deficits.
• WSS-OCTA is a valuable tool for assessing microvascular abnormalities in the central and peripheral retina in RP.