Abstract
Purpose: Subretinal fibrosis (SRFib) is an important cause of permanent loss-of-vision diseases with submacular neovascularization, but a reliable diagnostic method is currently missing. This study uses polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) to detect SRFib within retinal lesions by measurement of its birefringent collagen fibers.
Methods: Twenty-five patients were enrolled with retinal pathology in one or both eyes containing (1) suspected SRFib, (2) lesions suspected not to be fibrotic, or (3) lesions with doubtful presence of SRFib. All eyes were evaluated for SRFIb using conventional diagnostics by three retinal specialists. PS-OCT images were visually evaluated for SRFib based on cumulative phase retardation, local birefringence, and optic axis uniformity.
Results: Twenty-nine eyes from 22 patients were scanned successfully. In 13 eyes, SRFib was diagnosed by all retinal specialists; of these, 12 were confirmed by PS-OCT and one was inconclusive. In nine eyes, the retinal specialists expected no SRFib, which was confirmed by PS-OCT in all cases. In seven eyes, the retinal specialists’ evaluations were inconsistent with regard to the presence of SRFib. PS-OCT confirmed the presence of SRFib in four of these eyes and the absence of SRFib in two eyes and was inconclusive in one eye.
Conclusions: In 21 out of 22 eyes, PS-OCT confirmed the evaluation of retinal specialists regarding the presence of SRFib. PS-OCT provided additional information to distinguish SRFib from other tissues within subretinal neovascular lesions in 6 out of 7 eyes.
Translational Relevance: PS-OCT can identify and quantify SRFib in doubtful cases for which a reliable diagnosis is currently lacking.
Methods: Twenty-five patients were enrolled with retinal pathology in one or both eyes containing (1) suspected SRFib, (2) lesions suspected not to be fibrotic, or (3) lesions with doubtful presence of SRFib. All eyes were evaluated for SRFIb using conventional diagnostics by three retinal specialists. PS-OCT images were visually evaluated for SRFib based on cumulative phase retardation, local birefringence, and optic axis uniformity.
Results: Twenty-nine eyes from 22 patients were scanned successfully. In 13 eyes, SRFib was diagnosed by all retinal specialists; of these, 12 were confirmed by PS-OCT and one was inconclusive. In nine eyes, the retinal specialists expected no SRFib, which was confirmed by PS-OCT in all cases. In seven eyes, the retinal specialists’ evaluations were inconsistent with regard to the presence of SRFib. PS-OCT confirmed the presence of SRFib in four of these eyes and the absence of SRFib in two eyes and was inconclusive in one eye.
Conclusions: In 21 out of 22 eyes, PS-OCT confirmed the evaluation of retinal specialists regarding the presence of SRFib. PS-OCT provided additional information to distinguish SRFib from other tissues within subretinal neovascular lesions in 6 out of 7 eyes.
Translational Relevance: PS-OCT can identify and quantify SRFib in doubtful cases for which a reliable diagnosis is currently lacking.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 13 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 16 Mar 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2020 |
Funding
This work received support from Oogfonds Nederland, Algemene Nederlandse Vereniging ter Voorkoming van Blindheid, and the Dutch Technology Foundation STW (Grant No. 12822), which is part of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. The collaboration project was also co-funded by the PPP Program Allowance made available by Health∼Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, to stimulate public–private partnerships.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Oogfonds Nederland | |
| Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek | |
| Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen | 12822 |
| Algemene Nederlandse Vereniging ter voorkoming van Blindheid |
Keywords
- AMD
- Birefringence
- OCT
- Polarization sensitive
- Subretinal fibrosis
