Macular Telangiectasia type 2: multimodal assessment of retinal function and microstructure.

Purpose: To assess the impact of neurodegenerative morphologic alterations due to macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) on microperimetry (MP) and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG).

Methods: Thirty-five eyes of 18 patients with MacTel were examined using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), mfERG and MP. Software was used to match SD-OCT B-scans with the corresponding retinal sensitivity map and multifocal electroretinograms (mfERGs), thus enabling direct structure/function correlation.

Ganglion cell layer thickening in well-controlled patients with type 1 diabetes: an early sign for diabetic retinopathy?

Purpose: To evaluate early changes in retinal layers using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes (DM1) receiving intensified insulin therapy.

Methods: In a cross-sectional case-control study 150 patients with DM1 and 150 age- and sex-matched healthy control participants underwent OCT imaging. Scans of both eyes were analysed for different layers (NFL, GCL (+IPL), INL, outer layer complex (OLC, including OPL, ONL and ELM) and photoreceptors (PR)) in all subfields of an ETDRS grid.

Identification and Quantification of the Angiofibrotic Switch in Neovascular AMD.

Purpose: We quantify volumetric changes of subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM) and determine the conversion toward subretinal fibrosis, the angiofibrotic switch, under anti-VEGF therapy using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT).

Methods: A total of 50 eyes of 50 patients with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were included in this prospective observational study: 26 diagnosed with type 1 choroidal neovascularization (CNV), seven with type 2 CNV, 11 with mixed type CNV, three with a retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) lesion and three with a polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Patients were imaged at baseline and at the end of the loading phase (after treatment with three intravitreal anti-VEGF injections) using a PS-OCT system with a scanning angle of 30° × 30° and a scan pattern of 1024 × 250 A-scans.

The Distribution of Leakage on Fluorescein Angiography in Diabetic Macular Edema: A New Approach to Its Etiology.

Purpose: To determine the distribution of leakage on fluorescein angiography (FA) and explore the clinically protective role of astrocytes against damage to the inner blood retinal barrier (iBRB) in diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: A consecutive case series of 87 eyes of 87 patients with DME was included. We measured the leakage area in each field of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid on late-phase FA images.

Joint retinal layer and fluid segmentation in OCT scans of eyes with severe macular edema using unsupervised representation and auto-context.

Modern optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices used in ophthalmology acquire steadily increasing amounts of imaging data. Thus, reliable automated quantitative analysis of OCT images is considered to be of utmost importance. Current automated retinal OCT layer segmentation methods work reliably on healthy or mildly diseased retinas, but struggle with the complex interaction of the layers with fluid accumulations in macular edema.

Machine Learning of the Progression of Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration Based on OCT Imaging.

Purpose: To develop a data-driven interpretable predictive model of incoming drusen regression as a sign of disease activity and identify optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers associated with its risk in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: Patients with AMD were observed every 3 months, using Spectralis OCT imaging, for a minimum duration of 12 months and up to a period of 60 months. Segmentation of drusen and the overlying layers was obtained using a graph-theoretic method, and the hyperreflective foci were segmented using a voxel classification method.

Evaluating the impact of vitreomacular adhesion on anti-VEGF therapy for retinal vein occlusion using machine learning.

Vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) represents a prognostic biomarker in the management of exudative macular disease using anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. However, manual evaluation of VMA in 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) is laborious and data on its impact on therapy of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are limited. The aim of this study was to (1) develop a fully automated segmentation algorithm for the posterior vitreous boundary and (2) to study the effect of VMA on anti-VEGF therapy for RVO.

Geographic Atrophy and Foveal-Sparing Changes Related to Visual Acuity in Patients With Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration Over Time.

Purpose: To correlate the area of geographic atrophy (GA) and residual foveal sparing (FS), and to identify the minimum FS and maximum GA area allowing sufficient visual acuity (VA) for daily tasks.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Thirty-six eyes of 25 patients with GA and FS were followed for 18 months using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and VA tests.

Automated Fovea Detection in Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Scans of Exudative Macular Disease.

In macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volumes, detection of the foveal center is required for accurate and reproducible follow-up studies, structure function correlation, and measurement grid positioning. However, disease can cause severe obscuring or deformation of the fovea, thus presenting a major challenge in automated detection. We propose a fully automated fovea detection algorithm to extract the fovea position in SD-OCT volumes of eyes with exudative maculopathy.

A novel benchmark model for intelligent annotation of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scans using the example of cyst annotation.

Background And Objectives: The lack of benchmark data in computational ophthalmology contributes to the challenging task of applying disease assessment and evaluate performance of machine learning based methods on retinal spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans. Presented here is a general framework for constructing a benchmark dataset for retinal image processing tasks such as cyst, vessel, and subretinal fluid segmentation and as a result, a benchmark dataset for cyst segmentation has been developed.

Method: First, a dataset captured by different SD-OCT vendors with different numbers of scans and pathology qualities are selected.

Drusen volume development over time and its relevance to the course of age-related macular degeneration.

Aims: To quantify the change in drusen volume over time and identify its prognostic value for individual risk assessment.

Methods: A prospective observational study over a minimum of 3 years and maximum of 5 years and follow-up examination every 3 months was conducted at the ophthalmology department of the Medical University of Vienna. 109 patients presenting early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were included, of which 30 patients concluded a regular follow-up for at least 3 years.

Choroidal Line Scan Measurements in Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography as Surrogates for Volumetric Thickness Assessment.

Purpose: To compare choroidal thickness of different areas on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) line and cube scans for their interchangeable use.

Design: Validity analysis.

Methods: SSOCT line and cube scans were obtained from 21 patients with various choroidal thicknesses.

Multimodal Imaging of Cotton Wool Spots in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.

Purpose: To describe and follow cotton wool spots (CWS) in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using multimodal imaging.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study including 24 patients with new-onset BRVO, CWS were described and analyzed in color fundus photography (CF), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), infrared (IR) and fluorescein angiography (FA) every 3 months for 3 years. The CWS area on SD-OCT and CF was evaluated using OCT-Tool-Kit software: CWS were marked in each single OCT B-scan and the software calculated the area by interpolation.

Quantitative comparison of macular segmentation performance using identical retinal regions across multiple spectral-domain optical coherence tomography instruments.

Purpose: Comparison of optical coherence tomography (OCT) segmentation performance regarding technical accuracy and clinical relevance.

Methods: 29 eyes were imaged prospectively with Spectralis (Sp), Cirrus (Ci), 3D-OCT 2000 (3D) and RS-3000 (RS) OCTs. Raw data were evaluated in validated custom software.

Motion artefact correction in retinal optical coherence tomography using local symmetry.

Patient movements during the acquisition of SD-OCT scans create substantial motion artefacts in the volumetric data that hinder registration and 3D analysis and can be mistaken for pathologies. In this paper we propose a method to correct these artefacts using a single volume scan while still retaining the overall shape of the retina. The method was quantitatively validated using a set of synthetic SD-OCT volumes and qualitatively by a group of trained OCT grading experts on 100 SD-OCT scans.

Detection and Differentiation of Intraretinal Hemorrhage in Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify and detect intraretinal hemorrhage (IRH) in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods: Initially the presentation of IRH in BRVO-patients in SD-OCT was described by one reader comparing color-fundus (CF) and SD-OCT using dedicated software. Based on these established characteristics, the presence and the severity of IRH in SD-OCT and CF were assessed by two other masked readers and the inter-device and the inter-observer agreement were evaluated.

A quantitative approach to identify morphological features relevant for visual function in ranibizumab therapy of neovascular AMD.

Purpose: To quantitatively analyze morphological features in eyes with neovascular AMD (nAMD) at baseline, after 12 months, and after 24 months of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment and to perform a structure/function correlation.

Methods: Eyes with treatment-naïve nAMD were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab according to a standardized dosing regimen over 2 years and followed continuously in a prospective study design. The central foveal area of 1000 μm (horizontal)×960 μm (vertical) of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volume scans was evaluated quantitatively (using proprietary software) for the following pathologies: alteration of the external limiting membrane (ELM), alteration of the ellipsoid zone, subretinal fluid, pigment epithelium detachment, drusen, intraretinal cysts, subretinal mass, and subretinal pigment epithelium mass.

A longitudinal comparison of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence in geographic atrophy.

Purpose: To identify reliable criteria based on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) to monitor disease progression in geographic atrophy attributable to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared with lesion size determination based on fundus autofluorescence (FAF).

Design: Prospective longitudinal observational study.

Methods: setting: Institutional.

A systematic correlation of morphology and function using spectral domain optical coherence tomography and microperimetry in patients with geographic atrophy.

Aims: This study has been designed to describe the functional impact of distinct pathologies within the retinal layers in patients with geographic atrophy (GA) by means of a point-to-point correlation between optical coherence tomography (OCT) and microperimetry.

Methods: Retinal morphology and function of 23 patients suffering from GA of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have been investigated using the Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering) and the MP1 microperimeter (Nidek Technologies). The point-to-point overlay of morphology and function has been done using proprietary software, allowing OCT image grading to define distinct alterations of the neurosensory retina, the RPE and the choroid.

Systematic correlation of morphologic alterations and retinal function in eyes with uveitis-associated cystoid macular oedema during development, resolution and relapse.

Purpose: To evaluate morphological changes due to uveitis-associated cystoid macular oedema (uvCME) and their impact on central retinal sensitivity (CRS) before and after intravitreal triamcinolone-acetonide (IVTA).

Methods: 28 eyes with uvCME were examined with microperimetry and spectral-domain optical-coherence-tomography (SD-OCT) before and after IVTA. Microperimetry-maps were superimposed on SD-OCT and morphological-alterations were correlated point to point with CRS and followed-up for 3 months.

Visual acuity and microperimetric mapping of lesion area in eyes with inflammatory cystoid macular oedema.

Purpose:   To evaluate the effect of fluid accumulation on local visual function in inflammatory cystoid-macular-edema (ICME).

Methods:   This cross-sectional study applied optical-coherence-tomography over a 12×12 fovea-centered field in 50 patients with ICME and mapped the extent of fluid-filled spaces in various retinal layers, of subretinal-fluid and of diffuse-edema. Regression analysis examined effect of planimetric fluid-distribution on best-corrected-visual-acuity (BCVA) and mean microperimetric-sensitivity.

A systematic comparison of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence in patients with geographic atrophy.

Purpose: To evaluate spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in providing reliable and reproducible parameters for grading geographic atrophy (GA) compared with fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images acquired by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO).

Design: Prospective observational study.

Participants: A total of 81 eyes of 42 patients with GA.