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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
Evaluation of Capillary and Other Vessel Contribution to Macular Perfusion Density Measured with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: February 18, 2022
Peripapillary Vessel Density in Relation to Optic Disc Drusen: A Multimodal Optical Coherence Tomography Study
Lea Lykkebirk1, Anne-Sofie Wessel Lindberg, Isabelle Karlesand
1Department of Ophthalmology (LL, IK, MH, LM, SH), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark; and Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (A-SWL), Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Optic disc drusen (ODD) are linked to reduced peripapillary vessel density, especially in superior regions. Larger ODD volumes correlate with lower vessel density, indicating a significant impact on optic nerve head vasculature.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Neuro-ophthalmology
Background:
- Optic disc drusen (ODD) are calcified deposits in the optic nerve head causing visual field defects.
- Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) is a key diagnostic tool for ODD.
- OCT angiography (OCTA) visualizes peripapillary vasculature affected by ODD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between peripapillary vessel density and ODD location/volume.
- To utilize multimodal OCT, including EDI-OCT and OCTA, for detailed analysis.
- To correlate 3D ODD reconstructions with vascular changes.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 16 ODD patients and 24 healthy controls.
- EDI-OCT and OCTA were performed on all participants.
- 3D ODD visualizations created using ITK-SNAP were superimposed with OCTA scans to analyze vessel density in modified Garway-Heath segments.
Main Results:
- Mean peripapillary vessel density was lower in ODD patients compared to controls.
- Significant reductions in vessel density were observed in the superior segment (P=0.03) and globally (P=0.05).
- A significant inverse relationship was found between ODD volume and peripapillary vessel density (P=0.002).
Conclusions:
- Reduced peripapillary vessel density is associated with ODD.
- Vessel density is lower in areas anatomically close to ODD.
- ODD volume is inversely proportional to peripapillary vessel density.
