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Updated: Sep 27, 2025
Optical Coherence Tomography: Imaging Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells In Vivo
Published on: September 22, 2017
Ganglion Cell Layer Thickness Variance Using SPECTRALIS Optical Coherence Tomography.
Paul Mallory1, Sushant Wagley, John Chen
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neuroscience (PM, SW, CMM, PAD, MSL), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurology (JC), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; and Clinical and Translational Science Institute (BL), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The SPECTRALIS optical coherence tomography (OCT) shows reliable mean macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume measurements. A variance threshold of 0.07 mm³ or less is predictable, with 0.04 mm³ useful for tracking changes in GCL volume.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Assessing normal variance in macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume is crucial for detecting ocular pathologies.
- SPECTRALIS optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a key tool for in vivo imaging of the retina.
- Establishing reliable GCL volume measurement parameters is essential for longitudinal studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine the normal variance of mean macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume using SPECTRALIS OCT.
- Evaluate the impact of eye registration on GCL volume measurement reproducibility.
- Establish a reliable threshold for detecting changes in GCL volume.
Main Methods:
- Utilized SPECTRALIS OCT for high-resolution retinal imaging.
- Performed repeated GCL volume measurements on 98 eyes without ocular pathology.
- Employed Bland-Altman analysis, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and coefficient of repeatability (CR) to assess reproducibility.
- Compared measurements with and without eye registration (reg-ON vs. reg-OFF).
Main Results:
- High reproducibility was observed, with ICCs of 0.985 (baseline vs. reg-ON) and 0.977 (baseline vs. reg-OFF).
- The coefficient of repeatability (CR) was 0.056 mm³ (baseline vs. reg-ON) and 0.069 mm³ (baseline vs. reg-OFF).
- Ninety percent of eyes showed test-retest reliability within 0.04 mm³.
Conclusions:
- A predictable threshold of ≤0.07 mm³ for SPECTRALIS OCT mean GCL volume variance was identified in healthy eyes.
- Eye registration did not significantly alter GCL volume measurement variance.
- A threshold of 0.04 mm³ is suggested for clinicians to monitor stable versus progressive changes in mean GCL volume.
